Shots in the Shadows: Spiritual War
by sharpiewashereFF
Summary: "Every person has a story. Every ghost has a bigger story...because they need to tell us something." -Zak Bagans. Sequel to Shots in the Shadows. Zak/OC
1. The Source

I looked at the mess I had made in the kitchen. There was butter smeared on the counter, melted cheese burnt to the stove top, and a puddle of tomato soup in the microwave. The stuff exploded! I don't know how it happened, but somehow I managed to make a mess out of a simple lunch. I sighed as I sat my plate down beside my bowl of scalding hot soup and opened the microwave. I picked up the warm tray and placed it in the sink. I ran water over it and squirted a blob of dish washing soap all over it so it could soak. Maybe it could be saved.  
When I looked back at the kitchen, it looked like a tornado had gone through it. Gracie padded up to me and looked at the kitchen. I know she was wondering what the hell I had done. She gave me this look. Even she knew what I had done was bad. I leaned against the counter and crossed my arms.

"Daddy's going to kill me, isn't he?" I asked.

Gracie cut her eyes at the stove as if to say "Mmmhmm!" and she walked away. I just shook my head and turned to grab a pop out of the fridge. There was a reason why Zak always cooked. I was better at the cleaning part, but not right now. I'd clean up later. I had lunch to eat Xbox to play. I had just bought the new Batman game, and even though I hated Batman, this game was pretty fun and I was prepared to conquer.  
I took my lunch into the living room, making sure to bring napkins and a coaster. So help me if I got rings on the furniture! Today was my day to myself. I got to sleep in and lay around in my pajamas all day. Nick was in town, so Zak and Aaron went with him to go...well, play, basically. I didn't mind. Sometimes, it was nice having the house to myself. I would much rather share my day with Zak, but I was just feeling too lazy today. Besides, usually when he was out and about with the guys, he brought me things. Sometimes it was food or something I really needed like a new phone case because I dropped mine and broke it. Lately, it had been room décor for my newest project. One of the guest rooms was being converted into my own little office. I missed my loft and my dungeon bedroom at The Hollow, so Zak said I could pick a room and redecorate, which is something to keep me happy until filming started and also kept me from missing my home in Arkansas.  
I never sold it. I couldn't part with the place. Plus, it was always good to have land like that. You never know when you might need it. Zak and I discussed for a long time before we got married which way we were going to go. Either way, one of us was getting uprooted. I told him I couldn't let him sell the house. He was close to Aaron and Billy and his parents here, and I didn't have anything except the house in Arkansas. So, I moved some of my stuff out of The Hollow, had the utilities shut off, and moved to Vegas. It wasn't my ideal choice, and Zak knew that, but it was better than uprooting him. I could never do that to him. He saw that I missed it, though, and he did his best to bring some of The Hollow here. He had tried to make me feel at home in the best way possible since I moved here last October. I had to love him for that.  
I began my game and took a bite out of my grilled cheese. It tasted alright, but Zak made them better. I would have had him make it if he was on his way home, but I knew he wasn't due back for a good hour or two, so I made do with the food I had and played my game.  
Within not ten minutes of the game, I was screaming at it and slamming the controller in my lap. Most people had road rage. I had video game rage. I'm sure it sounded like I was in a fight. I felt sorry for the people who passed by the house, but I didn't care. The Joker wasn't going to kick my ass! Nuh-uh! Not today!  
Ernie, who was laying below me, sat up really quickly and howled. I jumped and looked down at him.

"Ernie!" I shouted.

Ernie looked up at me with his big brown eyes. He had such a pitiful look on his face. I couldn't stay mad at him. However, just as I was about to apologize, he howled in my face and got up to his fat, stubby feet.  
He and Gracie left the living room and into the kitchen, one dog howling and the other whining. Gracie never barked when people showed up. She had manners, unlike my dog. I sighed. Guess that's what I get for having a basset hound.  
I could hear the garage door opening and the sound of Zak's loud car pull in. I glanced over at my phone. It was only 1:00 PM. What were they doing back so soon? Maybe they had some bad luck shopping or something.

"Shit," I hissed to myself.

Zak wasn't going to be too happy that I hadn't cleaned up my mess. It wasn't like I was going to get in trouble or anything, but I hated how much of a slob I was and I didn't want him to see it.

"Gracie, go clean up my mess!" I shouted to her.

Gracie sneezed in response. I turned back to my game and began to look for a stopping point. I was almost finished with my food anyways, so I decided to wrap things up and get back in there to clean up.  
Just as I was finishing, the garage door burst open and Zak came tearing through like a bat out of hell. He didn't even say anything to me as he ran up the stairs.

"What the hell?" I asked out loud.

Nick and Aaron came in, laughing their asses off. I pressed pause on my game and turned around on the couch.

"What's going on, guys?" I asked.

Aaron was laughing so hard, his entire head turned red. Nick was giggling like a little kid. I narrowed my eyes at them. They must have pulled a really good prank on Zak this time. He probably deserved it, too.

"Zak. He-he," Aaron couldn't finish, he was laughing too hard.

I shut off the Xbox and hopped off the couch, grabbing my dishes to throw into the sink.

"What did he do?" I asked as I passed through.

Nick followed me over to the sink.

"What did _you_ do?" Nick asked, observing my mess.

"I was cooking!" I snapped playfully.

Nick laughed.

"What did you guys do to Zak?" I asked.

"Nothing!" Nick exclaimed.

"He did that to himself. We had no part in it," Aaron said.

I finished rinsing out my dishes and shut off the sink.

"What the hell did he do?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

Nick and Aaron exchanged smiles. Oh lord!

"Mikey, have you ever heard of The Source?" Nick asked.

My face fell and I stared at him in horror.

"Looks like she has, man," Aaron said, still laughing his ass off.

"He didn't!" I said.

Nick burst out laughing.

"He did," he said.

"Are you fucking with me? No!"

"Yes!" Nick said, "We went to this hot sauce joint and he dared me and Aaron, but we told him to go first, so he did."

Dread spread through me. I knew The Source very well. Volta had a run in with it once. I thought Nikki and I were going to have to carry Volta out to his car.

"Please tell me he did the tester one first," I said, but I already knew the answer.

Nick and Aaron shook their heads. I groaned. This was just great. I didn't need to deal with Zak sick. He was the worst when he was sick.

"He has balls, I'll say that much," Aaron said.

"I'm going to kill you two. What kind of friends are you? Friends don't let friends do stupid shit like that," I said.

"I tried some too and I'm fine," Aaron said.

I cocked my head to the side.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Bro, that was just Tabasco!" Nick said.

I rolled my eyes.

"We have it all on tape, though, Mikey. You should watch it. He had the hiccups and within seconds, he was balled up in the floor crying. It was so funny!" Aaron said.

"Delete it. That's so mean," I said as I walked out of the kitchen and made my way to the stairs.

"Oh, come on, Mikey!" Nick called.

"Your asses are grass if he's in there dead!" I shouted over my shoulder.

I left Nick and Aaron and climbed the stairs. Gracie was sitting outside the bathroom door patiently waiting for Zak to come out. I walked up cautiously and found the bathroom door to be closed. I could hear water running. I tip-toed up and knocked softly.

"Zak? Zak, are you okay?" I asked.

The door opened and an exhausted looking Zak appeared and leaned against the door. His eyes were sunken back into his head and he his skin was pale, completely unusual for him.

"I'm alright," he said.

"I'm going to kill them. I'm going to murder Nick and Aaron and then hunt their spirits down," I said.

Zak smiled and took my hand.

"It was my fault. I thought I could handle it," he said.

I crossed my arms and smirked.

"Volta did the exact same thing when tried it," I said.

Zak laughed.

"He did?"

I nodded.

"Drove on the median all the way home and nearly knocked Aunt Elena to the floor to get to a toilet. That's some gnarly stuff. Why in the world did you do it?"

Zak shrugged.

"I wanted the free t-shirt," he replied meekly like a kid who knew they were in trouble.

I rolled my eyes and took his hand.

"Wow. Baby, I think you need to stick to ghost hunting. Leave scarfing down spicy foods to Adam Richman," I said.

I led him bathroom and we strolled down the hall with Gracie at our feet.

"I don't know how he does it. That man has a stomach made of steel," Zak said as he rubbed his own belly through his shirt.

"You feel better now?" I asked.

"Loads better."

I stopped him and took both of his hands into mine.

"Is there a big mess in there? I'm not cleaning it up," I said.

Zak laughed.

"I don't think so. May be some puke residue in the toilet," he said.

I shook my head and gagged.

"Okay, okay. Gross!"

Zak just laughed at me and wrapped his arms around my waist.

"Why don't you go ahead and go lay down on the couch and relax?" I suggested, running my hands up and down his arms.

"Michael, I have so much work to do today! I have emails and phone calls and this and that," he complained.

"But you had time to go fry your insides!" I playfully pointed out.

Zak smiled.

"You only live once. I had to try it," he said and shrugged.

I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"You were just trying to be the big man in front of the guys," I said.

Zak pulled me gently into him and kissed my cheek.

"I know," he said, making me laugh.

I hugged him and leaned away from him to look at him. I still, after two months, could not believe I was married to him. He had been the best to me, and I couldn't ask for more.

"Forget work for an hour. Go on downstairs and chill out. Let your stomach settle and everything. I'll go make you some tea, okay?"

Zak smiled widely and leaned in to kiss me, but I stopped him. He looked surprised.

"Please tell me you cleaned your mouth," I said.

Zak opened his mouth wide open, flashing his white teeth and lifting his tongue up.

"Squeaky clean. I brushed my teeth twice and washed my face," he said.

I smiled and reached up to kiss him. Zak pressed up against me, making me want to throw his butt back in the bedroom.  
Zak hugged me tightly against him.

"I love how you take care of me," he said softly in my ear.

"Well, sometimes you need it," I said.

Zak laughed and pulled away.

"Go on. I have two other _children_ that need taking care of," I said.

Zak laughed that goofy little laugh of his.

"Give 'em hell, Mikey," he said.

We walked around the railing and went down stairs. I crossed through the kitchen to find Nick and Aaron playing one of Zak's games on the couch.

"Get your asses up right now," I ordered.

"Ah crap!" Aaron said.

"We're in trouble," Nick said.

They paused the game and set their controllers on the coffee table.

"You're damn right you're in trouble. Get up. Let's go," I said.

Aaron and Nick reluctantly stood to their feet. Zak appeared beside me. I rubbed and then patted his back.

"Go relax, sweetheart. I'll get your drink in a minute," I said.

Zak walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch while Aaron and Nick approached me with their heads hanging. I waved them into the kitchen and went to open up the cabinet under the sink. I pulled out a packet of sponges, a box of gloves, a jug of bleach, and a canister of disinfectant wipes. Basically, anything I could find for them to use.

"Since you two were too sissy to try The Source, take this stuff upstairs and clean the bathroom. Disinfect everything. Especially the toilet," I said.

"Ah! Come on, Mikey!" Aaron said.

"I could have puked on you guys," Zak said from the couch.

Aaron cringed. Nick reached for some of the stuff.

"We'll clean it," Nick said.

"Michael, I can go clean it later," Zak said.

"No, Zak. You lay down. Go on, guys," I said.

Nick and Aaron walked upstairs, hanging their heads and pouting like children. I crossed my arms and shook my head.

"And the shenanigans start again," I said.

Zak looked over at me and smiled.

"And just think, we're stuck with them in two days," Zak said.

I laughed. Here we go again.


	2. Marry the Knight in Black

"Michael! Can you come in here, please?"

I pressed pause on my Batman game. This stupid game pissed me off, but was becoming the most addicting thing. I spent hours at a time on it. I was terrible at video games, and every once in a while, I would get hopelessly stuck and get mad and yell and shut it off. I was at one of those moments when Zak called me from his office.

"Shit!"

I tossed the controller on the couch and walked down the hall and into the office. Zak was seated behind his desk, deep into his computer. He had his hand on his cheek and his eyebrows were furrowed, making his eyes narrow as he stared at the screen.

"You rang?" I asked playfully.

Zak's eyes flashed up to me.

"Did I tell you where our first lockdown was?" he asked.

I walked in and shook my head.

"No, sir. You did not," I confirmed.

I casually walked around the desk and over behind him. He quickly minimized the page on the screen and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Well," he began.

I came up behind him and wrapped my arms around him over his shoulders.

"I had no idea some stuff was going down the day of filming. I didn't schedule this, so I ask that when I show you this, you don't freak."

This made me nervous.

"Oh God! What is it?" I asked worriedly.

Zak leaned his head back to look up at me.

"It's nothing bad by any means. I just don't want you freaking out," he said.

I straightened up and crossed my arms.

"Well," I began, "I guess it can't be _that_ bad. After all, last time you told me something like this, you proposed to me."

Zak grinned.

"Best day of my life," he said softly.

I felt my cheeks and chest heat up with happiness. I leaned down and kissed him softly.

"What about our wedding night?" I asked.

Zak nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, there's that, too," he said.

I playfully smacked his arm. He just laughed and sat forward. He ran a finger of the laptop's trackpad and placed the cursor over the Internet browser.

"Promise you will remain calm?" he asked.

"Just open it!" I said impatiently.

Zak clicked on the icon and the website for the railroad in Texas that we had gone to last year opened up.

"Oh sweet! We're going back?" I asked excitedly.

"Mhmm," Zak hummed and nodded.

"Well, why did you think I would freak out over that?" I asked.

Even though negative stuff happened at this place, it wasn't like I didn't want to go back. The place still held the memory of Zak and I getting back together after the horrors we encountered in Romania. I still wanted to lockdown here-or help, anyway. I wasn't really allowed to do lockdowns until I was absolutely needed. Maybe it was that reason that he thought I may flip out-the fact that we got to return, but I couldn't participate. Really, it was fine with me either way, as long as I get to replace all the pictures that had been lost.

"Mikey, who was your childhood hero?" Zak asked out of the blue.

I twitched and wrinkled my nose in confusion. Childhood hero? Let me think...

"Steve Irwin," I said.

What? I loved the Crocodile Hunter!

"Nope! Try again," Zak said.

He leaned back and crossed his arms of his chest.

"What does this have to do with anything?" I asked.

"Just trust me. Who else?" he asked.

I shifted my weight on one foot and began thinking. My childhood was really negative, so it was hard to think of anything or anyone that could have influenced it positively. The only real people I could think of were the twins. Unless you count actors.

"Jim Carrey," I said.

"No. Wait, what? Childhood heroes? How?" Zak asked.

I laughed.

"I watched a lot of movies I shouldn't have as a kid," I said.

Zak just smiled and shook his head.

"Who else?" he asked.

"Hell if I know! Not Batman, that's for sure," I said.

"Don't be hatin' on Batman! What have I told you about that?"

I laughed this wicked little laugh that sounded like it would be on some old Halloween cartoon.

"That you would punish me," I replied.

"That's right!"

"But I like your punishments," I retorted.

Zak spun around to face me, a wild look in his eyes and a smirk playing upon his lips. It was sexy, and he was asking for it, not shaving and all. The 'stache and goatee thing was beginning to be a secret guilty pleasure of mine. He never kept it, making that much more sexy when it returned. Oh, I have too much time on my hands! Too many thoughts in my mind!

"Oh, I bet you do, sweetie. I bet you do," he said.

I laughed and he turned away from me.

"Who else did you worship as a kid? Come on. This isn't hard. Think children's shows," he said.

"Barney," I said.

"No."

"Oh! Winnie the Pooh!"

"No!"

"Little Bear."

"No, Michael! British kids shows," he said.

"The Teletubbies," I replied.

"Michael!" Zak exclaimed.

"Well, Zak! I don't know what you want me to say," I said.

Zak clicked on the website's Calendar of Activities link and opened up the day we were locking down there. A big animated ticket popped up and a little blue engine and a fat guy in a suit appeared on the screen.

"The station is hosting Day Out with Thomas the weekend we're there," Zak said.

"Holy shit! I completely forgot about Thomas!" I exclaimed.

Zak turned and looked at me like I was crazy.

"What?" I asked.

"Michael, you have the Pillow Pets of them and garden railroad models. How could you forget?"

"I was thinking cartoons," I said.

Zak groaned and turned back to face the screen.

"Are we going to get tickets?" I asked excitedly.

Zak hung his head.

"I knew you were going to ask that. Aaron wants to ride, too. I don't understand," he said.

"Zak! It's Thomas the Tank Engine! Everyone wants to ride the train. Please can we get tickets when we go? I haven't ridden the train since I was little kid!"

Zak sighed.

"If we have time, we can, babe," he said.

I balled my hands into fists and yanked my elbows into me.

"Yes!" I said victoriously.

Zak shook his head.

"The things I do to keep you happy," he said.

"Oh my God, Zak. You're such a drama king," I popped off.

Zak cut his eyes at me. Before I could do anything, he grabbed me by the waist and yanked me down into his lap. I squealed as we almost lost our balance and flipped the chair backwards.

"You just think you're so damn funny," he said.

I just grinned. Zak kissed me hard.

"Little shit," he growled.

I just laughed. I had a lot of fun giving him hell. I could already tell that this season, or the restart of this season, was going to be a lot of fun.

Xxx

I don't sleep. I'm becoming a little like Aaron. Get up around one the afternoon and not go to bed until around three in the morning. That's how it had been during our break. On this particular night, I was sleeping damn good. It was what Billy called "drool-worthy." I knew I had to be drooling this night, because I kept have this recurring dream of me and Zak's wedding night. It was gorgeous, even though it had quite a rocky start. I can tell you right now, I don't like preparing for weddings at all! It was a good thing I had Nikki and Zak's mother to keep me sane. Or maybe they kept me insane? Who knows.

_I am not a girly-girl in any way, shape, or form when it comes to my appearance. I've probably mentioned this before, but it's so true. From the age of 18, I started dressing a little bit more girly-er, instead of just t-shirts and jeans or men's cargo shorts. It is still rare for me to be seen in flats or low-cut tops, even though there are times when I feel like dressing up. Every woman does. But you will never hardly ever see my ass in a skirt or a dress. If I am, it better look damn good. So, you can just imagine my aggravation when Zak's mom called and told me and Nikki to come over so we can go shopping for a stupid wedding dress.  
It was maddening! I was glad we were in Vegas where it was easier to shop, but still. I hate dress shopping. I could have easily gotten married in footy pajamas. It really didn't matter to me. I was stubborn, though, and I turned into a bridezilla really quickly. I didn't want to be there, I hated crowds and tailors measuring me. It was an invasion of my personal bubble and I got irritated really quickly. I never have an attitude and turn bitchy like I did that day. It was a good thing Nikki was there to be bitchy right back, because I'm sure Zak's mom would have backhanded me. She knew me and knew I was never like how I was that day, but I could not keep my behavior in check. I was acting like a brat, actually, but I couldn't help it.  
The part that pissed me off the most about dress shopping was the fitting. I'm weird shaped. Long torso, short legs, scrawny arms, good-sized chest, no butt. Nothing was very flattering on me. A simple wedding dress that fit me perfectly didn't look right on me._

"It fits the boobs nicely," Nikki said.

"I think it's really slimming. Beautiful dress," Zak's mom compliments.

"It's just...that," Nikki said.

I didn't plan this right at all. If I had known that Zak was going to propose to me, I would have waited to get my tattoo sleeve.

"It looks so trashy with this dress," I said.

"It's not trashy, dear. Zak had problems finding things to cover up his back tattoo. He gave up," his mom said.

"His tattoos aren't obnoxious like mine," I said.

Nikki picked up my arm and looked at the GAC half of the sleeve.

"What the hell, Michael? You have have a cross and Dracula's crest right beside each other," he said.

"Yeah, it represents Zak. Not vampires, if that's what you're thinking. There's a 'ZB' where the 'D' would be," I said.

"Oh, let me see. Zak sent me the picture, but I couldn't see it very well," his mom said.

Now, if this were my mom, she would have beat my ass and my dad would have kicked me out. It was nice, but so strange that she was all cool with my ink. I loved the woman to death, though. She never judged a soul. She was an angel.

"Oh, you have the Big Steppin' silhouette. I bet Aaron loved that," she said.

I laughed.

"Yeah, he did. And down there is a line from Nick's last album. I think I used 'What's Next,'" I said, pointing to the fancy cursive at the bottom of the sleeve.

"Are you going to get more?" Nikki asked, "They say when you get the tattoo itch, it never leaves."

"I think I'm done. This entire sleeve took so long to do! I just wish I would have made it prettier so it would go with these dresses," I said.

"We're going to have to get one with sleeves, looks like, honey," Nikki said.

"Oh yeah right! Like those are easily available nowadays," I said.

"Mikey, sweetie," Zak's mom spoke up, "I think it would mean more to not only Zak, but all of the boys if you just left it exposed."

I nodded.

"I think the contrast will be really cool. Zak doesn't get to see your more feminine side. He'll love it," Nikki added.

"And you know that boy loves the light contrasting with the dark," his mom said.

My jaw dropped.

"That's right! I remember him telling me that!" I said.

His mom smiled.

"So, you see what I'm saying, hun? You have this darkness and this edginess about you that I know he likes, so wearing a dress like this will be the cherry on top," she said.

I nodded understandingly.

"I see what you mean. Not in this dress, though," I said.

She and Nikki laughed.

"That's fine. Let's get you out of this one and find something more you," she said.

We spent the rest of the afternoon searching for dresses. I was beginning to get tired and slightly aggravated that I could not find something I liked, but out of nowhere, Nikki runs up to me with this gorgeous dress that almost looked like a prom dress. It was white and satiny with gray and black decorations in sequins on the skirt that was kind of in a swirly, damask pattern. It was different and edgy for a wedding dress, and I fell in love with it. When we found that it was the last one, I felt my heart sink. There was no way it would fit me perfectly, but when Nikki suggested I try it on, I found it to be a perfect fit.

"Just like you and my son, this is a match made in heaven," Zak's mom said as I modeled the dress.

That made me blush and smile furiously, but I was so happy she approved of us. That meant the world to me.  
That evening, Nikki and I drove back to Zak's to find the garage, driveway, and street loaded with cars, including Zak's car and truck, the twins' rental, Nick's rental, Aaron's Explorer, Billy's car, and two other cars parked in the street. This had been a building trend for some time, having people here almost every weekend for the past two months. At first it was for planning, but it steadily grew into parties as things got prepared and ready to go for Christmas Eve-or, our wedding night. But this shit with having a ton of cars here was beginning to piss me off. There wasn't a parking spot for me, and I fucking lived here!

"I'm going to go in there and throw a bitch fit at them. This is fucking ridiculous!" Nikki said.

"It is! Gosh dammit! I'm about to just park in the middle of the road and go in there myself and cause hell," I said.

I knew better than to do that, though.

"Who's car is that?" Nikki asked, pointing to the little car beside Aaron's.

"Billy's. I don't know who the fuck the other two cars belong to, though," I said.

I growled as I put the truck in park and stared at the two cars.

"Maybe if you had a car, you could squeeze in behind one," Nikki said.

"Nah. I would have my ass hanging in the neighbors' driveway," I said.

Nikki and I were silent as I contemplated on what to do. Call Zak and have someone leave? Go in and ask for someone to move their car? Where would they even put it anyways?

"This pisses me off. I'm about to do something I'm not proud of," I said.

Nikki was intrigued.

"What would that be, Cousin?"

I revved up my too loud diesel truck and threw it in gear.

"There is a reason I kept this truck," I said lowly.

Nikki grabbed the "Oh Shit!" handle.

"Let's tear it up, Michael!" he squealed.

I drove down the street and turned the truck around. There was enough space for me to drive over the neighbors' driveway and into the yard. My wheels would tear the hell out of the grass, but I didn't give a shit. I was already tired from shopping, and I lived here! If I couldn't park at my house, then you can be sure as shit I was going to make a parking spot!  
I sped down the street, jumped the curb and ran sideways into the grass. I knew I had left marks and Zak would kill me, but again, don't care right now!

"Dammit, Michael! That was fun!" Nikki exclaimed excitedly.

"Not nearly as fun as I'm about to have. Grab some stuff and let's go," I told him.

I grabbed my dress out of the back seat and a bag full of hair supplies while Nikki grabbed my shoebox. I locked my truck and we walked up to the front door. There was no way I was going through the garage. Everyone likes to hang out in the kitchen when they aren't in the man cave, and I assumed they were all over for dinner, so they would most likely be where the food was.  
When I opened the door, Ernie howled and came running up to us. Gracie had her head hung low and wouldn't approach me. She knew I was mad.

"Mikey's home!" I heard Aaron shout from the kitchen.

I purposely slammed the door as hard as I could. The house was filled with the echoing of people, no thanks to the open ceiling. I was not in the mood at all, and when it occurred to me that we had a full house of people that didn't leave me a parking spot, I was furious.

"Michael!" I heard Zak sing happily from the kitchen.

"Yes, I'm home. I just wish I had a GODDAMN PARKING SPOT!" I barked.

I heard the people quiet down. Nikki and I entered the kitchen and walked over to the stairs. I instantly regretted saying the GD word. I had forgotten Annabelle was here.

"Say goodbye to your lawn, Zak," I snapped at him as I passed through.

Zak's eyes widened in terror. I just shrugged at him as if to say "Too bad, bro" and followed Nikki upstairs.

"Did I not tell you people to leave a spot for her?" Zak barked at his company.

I just rolled my eyes and walked into our room, throwing the dress in the closet.

"I can't believe this shit!" I spat.

"Michael, calm down. You're overreacting," Nikki said.

"I'm not overreacting! I'm pissed the fuck off!" I barked at him.

Nikki jumped over to me and held me by the shoulders.

"Michael, chill! I know you've been stressing hard over both the wedding and Christmas, and I know today was not the best day ever, but you have got to put up a front. You're being a bridezilla and everyone is going to look down their nose at you if you don't go back down there with a smile on your face. I know you're tired and you probably need to eat," Nikki said.

"I'm not hungry," I argued stubbornly, "If I eat I'll puke."

"Michael, you have to keep your blood sugar up. You have to keep your energy levels up. Remember what happens if you don't eat regularly? Your acid reflux acts up all hell breaks loose," he said.

"I know, I know," I groaned.

I leaned over and took the shoebox out of his hands and placed it in the closet.

"I know you would much rather be up all night with a nervous stomach than an upset stomach and be on and off the toilet all night," he went on.

"That goes hand in hand now," I said.

Nikki snorted.

"Well then, let's go downstairs and eat. I smelled barbecue and I'm fucking starving!" he said.

"I'll pass. Can you do something for me since you're a wizard with alcohol?" I asked.

"Sure," he said.

"Go to the bar and make me something that will chill me out. I don't care what it is, just as long as I can swallow it," I said.

Nikki waved his hand at me and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please, Michael! Anything I make is delicious! It just depends on how much of a headache you want," he said.

I had to laugh at that.

"I only want one and no, I do not want or need a headache. Something mild that will calm me down, Nikki," I said.

Nikki laughed.

"Will Zak get mad if he sees you drinking?" he asked.

"Nikola, I could care less at this point. He and the guys got pretty slammed at the bachelor party the other night. It's only fair," I said.

Nikki shrugged.

"Alrighty then. Woohoo! Michael's being driven to drinking!" he shouted as he walked out the door.

"Nikki! Don't let Zak hear you, you idiot!" I snapped.

Nikki just giggled and disappeared. I shook my head. I was already beginning to get a headache.

When I walked out of the room, loud talking and laughter echoed all over the huge house. I had had it! I needed peace and time to myself. My anger was boiling again and I didn't need this before tomorrow. I needed my drink and the one thing that could calm me down that wasn't Zak, and that was music.  
I walked down the stairs and disappeared down the hall to the room I was making my office/girl cave. I had my collection of antique cameras in a box against the a wall, a turntable that one hooks up to a computer, a large victrola cabinet, and two different gramophones. I collected things like this and found that sometimes, they worked a lot better than an iPod. I walked over to one of the wooden crates that held my record collection and pulled at an LP of The Mars Volta and an old 33 of The Runaways I bought back in high school. I needed something aggressive and stress relieving, and these two albums seemed to do the trick.  
I walked over to my replica gramophone that was one of those combos that played the radio and CDs and everything. I had a real one, but it didn't play 33s. I unplugged it from the wall and picked it up by the support arm. I hauled it back through the kitchen, ignoring the stares from my lugging this giant record player through the house.

"Made it!" Nikki run up to me with an inconspicuous cup of greenish liquid.

"Come on. Back porch," I hissed.

We walked out to the back porch. It was nice and warm out for December, and was the perfect weather to come outside and chill out in. I knew it would get cold in a hurry, but I was too tense to worry about that.  
I sat the gramophone down on the patio table and plugged it in to an exterior outlet. I loved that this house was fancy enough to have outlets all over the exterior of the house. It was a pretty handy feature. I then slid The Mars Volta album out of it's sleeve and put it on. I turned the turntable on and cranked the volume up. That little motherfucker of a horn put out a ton of sound that I knew could be heard throughout the walls of the house, but I didn't care. It was annoying, fast, and aggressive, and I could feel my anger begin to melt away.  
Nikki handed me my drink.

"What is it?" I asked.

"You like apples right?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Then you'll like this. I promise," he said.

I took a sip of the alcohol. I was surprised that it was actually pretty good. At first it tasted like lime Skittles and apple juice, but then the burn hit the back of my throat and I coughed. The after taste was more bitter than straight black coffee. Nikki laughed at my coughing.

"It has a bit of a bite to it," he said.

"Nikki, the after taste is horrible! It was good at first but now...ack!"

Nikki laughed.

"Take another sip. It'll wash the after taste out," he said.

"Of course it will," I said sarcastically.

I took another drink and began to pace around the back patio and around the waterfall. The combination of the acid-trippy record and the alcohol was beginning to calm me down, and the zen atmosphere of Zak's backyard helped immensely.

"Like your first taste of alcohol?" Nikki asked.

I took another sip of the apple martini thing and cut my eyes at him.

"Never let me do this again, Nikki. I regret it," I said.

"Really? You don't seem to be," Nikki laughed.

I just shook my head and took another sip, my eyes fixated on the running water.

"It's better than smoking," I said.

Just then, the porch door opened. I turned to see Aaron come out and start dancing to a song no one can dance to because of the odd time signature.

"Hey, Mikey! Hey, Nikola!" he greeted.

I spotted Nikki waving shyly and blushing furiously. I raised an eyebrow at him. Did the boy have a crush on Aaron now? Goodness!

"Hey," I said.

Aaron walked cheerfully over to me.

"You guys having your own party out here?" he asked jokingly.

I shrugged as I nursed my drink.

"I just had to get out here and cool off. I was about this close from a meltdown," I said, holding my index finger and thumb a centimeter from each other for emphasis.

Aaron nodded.

"Rough day?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Well, why don't you come on in and eat? People will be leaving soon. I saved you a plate," he said.

I looked up at Aaron and smiled.

"Thanks. Maybe later, though. I wanna stay out here for a little while," I said.

Aaron nodded.

"You okay, Mikes?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I will be. Don't worry. I just need to cool my jets and get focused. Can't be doing this tomorrow, you know."

Aaron laughed.

"That's true. Hey Mikes, you'll do fine tomorrow. You have all your brothers here. We'll keep you afloat," he said.

I smiled at Aaron and hugged him.

"Thanks, bro," I said.

Aaron petted my head.

"I'm going to go put your plate in the fridge. Easy on the alcohol," he said.

I rolled my eyes and followed him back up to the patio. Aaron went on in and I switched records out. Being more chilled out, I was no longer in the mood for The Runaways, so I switched on the radio function.

"What kind of radio stations do they have here in the middle of no where?" Nikki asked.

I gestured to the gramophone.

"No idea. Feel free to have at it," I said.

Nikki moved the record player around and began skimming through channels. I plopped down in a patio chair next to him and finished up my drink. The sun had set enough that the lights had come on over head. Las Vegas was beginning to wake up and come as alive as the gathering in the house. I felt like the world was partying it up around me while I remained indifferent, when it should have been the other way around. I felt drained and in a trance as I watched the hideous palm trees above be brushed by the soft breeze. The outdoor conditions and the soft tones of Foster the People chilled me out and the alcohol I had consumed put me at intergalactic oneness with Earth. I no longer felt stressed and angry-just tired.  
The porch door opened and Zak appeared. I smiled as he turned and shut the door behind him. I hadn't seen much of him in these passed couple of days, and I sorely missed his company. I got up and walked over to hug him. He wrapped his arms around me tightly and I laid my head on his toned chest. There, now I was in complete peace. Being in Zak's embrace always made me feel protected and loved, and I was starting to get sappy from the apple concoction. I have never had alcohol before, but it seemed with me that a little went a long way. I should probably have eaten something.

"Hey, sweetie," he said, rubbing little circles into my back.

"I thought the groom wasn't allowed to see the bride before the wedding?" Nikki asked.

I rolled my eyes and then closed them. I inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet smell of the outdoors and Zak.

"I don't give a shit," Zak said and kissed the top of my head.

"That rule does not apply until tomorrow morning," I said.

Zak pulled away and held my arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I gazed up at his icy blue eyes and swallowed hard. Every time he looked at me with that sad, worried look I wanted to tear up. It was probably the drink, or my stress, or both making me feel like this.

"I'm okay now. I've been on the edge all day. All that shopping shit and everything going on. I guess no parking threw me overboard. I didn't mean to freak out like that. I'm sorry I made ruts in the lawn and snapped at you."

Zak pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around his torso.

"It's okay, baby girl. I'm sorry. I know you've had a rough time. You've handled it like a pro, though. I wondered how you were handling all of this so easily," he said.

I smiled.

"I wasn't. Trust me. I feel better now that you're here, though," I said.

Zak laid his cheek on top of my head. We would have kissed, but we weren't allowed until tomorrow. We couldn't promise to keep away from each other, but we could keep kissing down so the one tomorrow would be more special. It really doesn't make any sense if you think about it, but it made sense to us.  
The door opened again and Aaron poked his head out.

"One hour and we gotta go, Zak. I have some Big Steppin' orders to finish up," Aaron called.

I looked up at Zak in surprise.

"They're kidnapping you again?" I asked.

He nodded.

"You're not allowed to see me in the morning. Remember?"

I slammed my forehead against his chest.

"Dammit!" I cried out.

"Aww, Michael," Zak said.

He reached his hands down and laced his fingers with mine.

"You have the twins here to keep you company. You'll be okay," he said.

"I know, but I want you here," I said.

"I know, sweetie. I want nothing more than to stay here with you, but I can't. We still have an hour to be together. This will be our last moment together before we're married," he said.

My heart skipped at that.

"I can stand here until my feet fall asleep," I said.

Zak chuckled, the vibration resonating through his chest and tickling my ear. We wrapped our arms back around each other and stood there for a long time as we listened to the radio and the ambient noise of the neighborhood. It was quite peaceful tonight.

"Just think, Mikey. Noon tomorrow," he said.

"I'm scared, Zak," I admitted.

Zak pulled away from me and cupped my face in his large hands.

"Don't be scared, honey. Tomorrow's our big day," he said in this soft, tender voice that made butterflies lift in my stomach.

I bit my lip, closed my eyes and nodded. I reached up to hold his wrists as he kissed my forehead. I knew I was going to bawl my eyes out tomorrow. Gosh dammit, I loved him so much!

Xxx

The next morning, I woke up on top of Volta and Nikki in the living room floor with Gracie and Ernie. It was one hell of a morning. Nikki threw my ass into a pair of jeans and a shirt he randomly grabbed out of the floor. I didn't even notice it was one of Zak's until we got to his mother's house.  
I was freaking out when they threw my ass in a chair and got to work. Volta ran out to get us some little something to eat while Zak's mom attacked my face with the shit-ton of makeup we bought and Nikki did my hair. The boy was no cosmetologist, but he did up-do's like a pro.  
He curled my hair into ringlets and clipped it up and primped and sprayed hairspray and glitter spray while Zak's mom painted my nails.

"Don't mess these up or we'll be late," she said.

They threw my ass in my wedding dress and stuffed my feet in the heels Nikki picked out. I hated heels, but we were able to find a pair that weren't too high and had pretty decent arch support. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I was in shock. My hair was in these tight, curly ringlets that I didn't even know they could be molded into. My eyes were pretty and smokey. That woman was knew her way around an eyeshadow palette. My sleeve actually looked really good with the dress. I had no idea what Zak was wearing as far as accessories went, but I hoped we complimented each other.

"One more thing," his mom said before we left for the church.

She ran into her bedroom and came running back out with a necklace in her hands. I immediately recognized the GAC coffin with the cross in the middle. It was laid with black and red gemstones and it hung from a dainty silver chain. Zak had a necklace just like it, but his was pewter and it was on a black cord. This was straight up silver and it was gorgeous!

"Zak wanted you to wear this," she said.

Nikki took the necklace out of her hands and I lifted my hair so he could clasp it around my neck. When I turned to model it, Zak's mom smiled widely. She almost looked like she was going to cry.

"You look so beautiful, sweetheart," she said.

I smiled and hugged her.

"Thanks," I replied.

We almost got to the church late. She just had to take pictures of the twins and I. It was like prom. I was already sick and tired of pictures, for Aaron had already taken a million of Zak and I after he proposed. Today, Aaron was doing the photography again, and I knew there would be a zillion and one.  
We made it just in the nick of time. It felt so weird to be here. The place was packed, but the only family there that was my own were the twins. My parents could care less, both sets of grandparents were passed, and Aunt Patch was gone. The twins' parents were too busy to fly out here. I'm sure Aunt Elena would have come, even though she doesn't think too highly of me, but I was good with the twins being here. Everyone else was here for Zak. His mom and step-dad, his sister, Nick, his wife and Annabelle, Aaron and his girlfriend, Billy and his wife, and the rest of the Crew. It was a little unsettling, but I just had to keep telling myself that they didn't matter, just Zak.  
We had limited people here since my family was down to just the twins, so we had to make do with what we had. Annabelle was our flower girl. She was adorable. She stood holding my hand and a bottle of bubbles in the other. We had no ring bearer, but that didn't bother me. Aaron and Billy were ushers, and Nick was Zak's best man. The twins and Zak's mom were my bridesmaids. This was Nikki's idea. Volta just rolled with it. He was the one walking me down the isle today. It meant a lot to him. I knew so because as we stood outside the doors, he was already crying.

"Stop it. I've done so good. You're going to ruin it and make me cry!" I hissed to him.

"I'm sorry, Mikey. I'm just happy that you've found someone who loves you and will keep you safe," he said.

I hugged him with my free arm that was holding my bouquet of red roses and baby's breathe. We couldn't get black as I had wanted, since they were both mine and Zak's favorite colors, but this worked.

"Thanks, Volta," I said.

"You're welcome, Little One," he said.

Nikki was peeking through the doors.

"Oh my God, Michael. He looks gorgeous!" he gushed.

"Nikola! Stop!" I scolded.

Zak's mom squeezed in next to Nikki and peered out.

"Oh, he does, Mikey. Very handsome," she added.

"Stop!" I whined, "You guys are making more nervous."

"This is going to be the longest walk of your life!" Nikki said just to piss me off.

"Quit!" I growled through my teeth, making him laugh.

The doors opened and the music started. I backed away from the door, even though I was not in the way. I was just scared of them. Annabelle looked up at me expectantly.

"Blow bubbles now, Aunt Mikey?" she asked.

I smiled widely at that. Nick had gotten her to say that. It was adorable.

"Yes, sweetheart. Blow bubbles and smile at everyone. Your mommy is waiting for you at the front," I said.

Annabelle nodded and walked up to the front.

"Slow steps, Anna!" I whispered.

Annabelle did beautifully. She had done pretty good at the rehearsal dinner, so I could have only expected as good or even better today. Nikki went next, followed by Zak's mom.  
My heart began to race when I heard the march begin to play and the rustling of clothes as everyone stood.

"God," I whispered.

"You got this, Mikey. Come on," Volta said.

Volta walked in the doorway and held out his hand. I walked over to him and linked arms with him, clutching my bouquet tightly. When I looked in, I could see the audience and the bubbles, but my focus was on Zak's mom and the back of Nikki's head. It only made the anticipation of seeing Zak worse.  
I walked down with Volta and smiled at the people who were smiling at me. I looked over to see Nick and Billy smile at me. Aaron gave me a thumbs up and this big goofy grin, making me laugh. I looked forward again and the world came to a skidding halt.  
There he was standing up proud and tall, his hair perfect, his face clean shaven, and his bright blue eyes could be literally seen from a mile away. He was so, so, so gorgeous! Remind me again, am I really marrying this man? Yes, Michael, yes you are.  
When we got around to saying our "I do's," I was on the verge of tears.

"At this time, the bride and groom will recite their vows."

Oh my God, I'm going to die of nervousness!

"Michael," Zak spoke.

My bit my lip hard.

"On this day, I take you to be my best friend, my love, my wife. I will promise to always protect you and keep you safe from anything that threatens you. I will forever be there for you through times of success and times of hardship. You are an incredible woman. I will always respect you, cherish you, and love you through this life and the next," he vowed.

And now I'm crying. Zak just smiled and blinked away tears of his own before they trespassed onto his cheeks.

"My turn?" I whispered.

He nodded.

"Go ahead, baby," he said.

I took a deep, shaky breath and began.

"Zachary Bagans, on this day I take you to forever be my love and my..." I had to swallow, "my husband. You are my love and my hero, and I could not ask for anyone better. I promise to follow you and understand you. I will be your shoulder to cry on and your light when the darkness becomes too much," and now Zak's crying, "I love you so much."

Is this really happening?

"If no one in this room has any objections, Zak, you may now kiss the bride."

Zak stepped up to me and kissed me passionately in front of God and everyone else. The crowd cheered, but I could barely hear them. I was bawling and our tears were mixing together. We had been right about that kiss being more special. 

This dream kept reminding me of how lucky I was. It also made for heavy sleeping, which I hated being awoken from. I wanted it to replay forever, but for some reason, something always woke me up. Sometimes it was the dogs or a phone, or even Zak's loud voice, but this time it was something on my stomach.  
I snorted awake, but kept my eyes closed in hopes that the dream would continue. It didn't. I heard the sheets rustling and I could feel my shirt being pushed up.

"Michael, sweetie," I heard Zak's soft voice murmur.

No! Sleep!

"Mikey, baby," he sang softly.

I felt lips trail kisses from the waistband of my flannel bottoms and up to my belly button. I opened my eyes to see a warmly lit room and Zak laying on his stomach, his chest smashing my hip down. He held my side with a warm hand and kissed up my stomach and to where my ribs met in the middle. I reached down and ran my fingers through his soft black hair, running my short nails against his scalp. He shivered as I did this. I watched in awe as his back muscles rippled when he shivered. He wasn't wearing any gel in his hair, so the longer part for the fin flopped adorably over his forehead. This man had some silky, silky hair. It was gorgeous! I had to give myself a hot oil treatment and abuse the rinse and repeat rule to get my hair to be as soft as his was without product.

"Mmm. That's a good way to wake me up," I mumbled.

Zak scooted up and trailed more kissed along my jaw before he kissed me softly on the lips.

"You were crying in your sleep again," he said, looking concerned.

I nodded and stretched.

"I had a dream about our wedding again," I said.

Zak's concern melted away and he smiled.

"Maybe when we're 50, we'll do it again," he said.

I smiled.

"I'm holding you to that," I said.

Zak laughed and cuddled up against me. I tilted my head over and looked at the clock on my nightstand. The old antique clock looked like something out of Dumbledore's Office in _Harry Potter_, and if it was working right, read 3:55. I knew it couldn't be PM.

"Zak, honey? Why are you waking me up from a really good dream at nearly four in the morning?" I asked.

Zak sat up and smiled at me.

"Because, we have an early flight to Dallas," he said.

Was it time for filming already? Shit!

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" he said in a high-pitched voice and bounced up and down, "It's time to go see Thomas!"

I groaned and rolled over. Zak started making these "chugga, chugga, chugga" sounds as he walked his fingers up my back. I was so close to falling asleep that I wasn't paying him any mind.  
Suddenly, Zak grabbed my sides and yelled "Choo choo!" I screamed and squirmed as he tickled me and flipped me back over.

"Get up, sweetheart," he said.

I watched him as he hopped out of bed and walked over to finish packing his suitcase, all the while singing Johnny Cash. Cool, so I'm stuck with hyper Zak. I'm in for it, aren't I?


	3. Return to the Railroad

Airplane seats are the worst to sleep in. You can lean back only so far, you can twist and turn, and you can lay upside down (but the flight attendants won't let you). There is no comfortable position. In the car I can lay every which way and be comfortable, but not on a plane. Hell no!  
I was buried under my blanket with my Thomas the Tank Pillow Pet and laying my head on Zak's hard shoulder while I listened to my iPod. It was not comfortable by any means, but his body heat was making me sleepy. However, every time I was close to falling asleep, Zak would grunt or growl and viciously scratch his pen through whatever he writing in his notebook.  
I peeled my eyes apart to see his fast, aggressive handwriting scratched out or X-ed out. Apparently it continued to further aggravate him, because by the end, it looked like a little kid had gotten a hold of it.  
I sat up and pulled my earbuds out of my ears and set them and my iPod on the tray in front of me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

Zak's pen sped across the paper again.

"Rewriting the intro to Ghost Adventures," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow at him. Zak looked up at me.

"What?" he asked.

I just smiled and faced forward.

"My name is Zak Bagans. I never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one," I recited, mocking his voice.

Zak just glared at me.

"You have the whole thing memorized, don't you?" he asked.

I laughed.

"I'm probably not the only one," I said.

Zak's eyes widened.

"That's why I'm changing it. I get sick of hearing it," he said.

I smiled and leaned over to pull my laptop out of my bag.

"Well, what do you have so far?" I asked.

Zak scribbled down the rest of what he was writing and handed the notebook to me.

"_My name is Zak Bagans, lead investigator of the Ghost Adventures Crew. I never believed in ghosts until I came face to face with one. So I set out to capture what I once saw onto video. With no big camera crews following us around, I am joined only by my team: Co-investigators Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin, audio and visual analysts Billy Tolley and Jay Wasley, and our photographer and photo analyst Mikey Bagans. We will travel to some of the most highly active paranormal locations where we will spend an entire night being locked down from dusk until dawn. These are our Ghost Adventures_."

I looked up in surprise.

"It's not just Nick, Aaron, and I anymore. I thought it was kind of shitty of me to not include everyone, since we all have an important hand in the show."

I looked back down at his handwriting.

"Does that sound alright to you? You're the writer," he said.

"Zak, you're a better writer than me. But yeah, I think this sounds fine. I'm just worried about the length," I said.

Zak took his notebook back and shrugged.

"I think it'll be alright. Are you okay with being in the intro?" he asked.

I nodded and hugged his arm. Zak closed the notebook and put the pen in the spiral. He then reached over to run his fingers through my hair and kiss the top of my head.

"Go to sleep. We have a big day today," he said softly.

"I've been trying!" I groaned.

Zak smiled. He reached down and yanked the arm rest back. I scooted into him and he wrapped his arms around my stomach.  
I reached for my laptop and brought up YouTube.

"You wanna watch this with me?" I asked.

Zak looked at the screen curiously.

"Whatcha got there, sweetie?" he asked.

I pulled up a video of an early episode of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Zak rolled his eyes.

"I'm going to regret this. I really am," he said and plugged and earbud into his ear.

What better way to get in a Thomas mood than to watch it?

Xxx  
Wilson City  
Four hours south of Dallas, TX

"Aaron's Vlog. Behind the scenes. Right now we're in a Walmart because it's sunny today and since we're going to be outside all day, I need sunscreen. But it's January, so it's nearly impossible to find the stuff. But, the lady at the front said we might be able to find some in the camping supplies. So, we were walking through the toy section, taking a shortcut, and I found these," Zak said.

He turned Aaron's phone to the wall. All over the wall were different types of tricycles. You had your regular red and white trikes, your Barbie trikes, and then for boys, Thomas the Tank Engine trikes. They looked exactly like a little pedal car in the shape of a train, except these had little red steering wheels instead of handlebars.

"Thomas train tricycles," Zak said, then faced the lens back to him, "I thought they were appropriate since we are riding the Thomas train today. So I, regretfully, bought Michael one as a souvenir for this trip. Nick also got one for his daughter. What I was expecting was that they would ride them on their down time. Maybe at the hotel. I didn't think they would go ahead and ride them around the store."

Nick wheeled ahead on his trike and I barreled after him. I turned sharply around a corner and crashed right into Zak's leg. Zak shouted out in pain. Nick, Aaron and I were laughing. I reached over and hugged his leg.

"Oh, Zak, I'm so sorry," I apologized.

I didn't sound sorry. I was still laughing.

"Geez, Michael!"

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, "Are you okay? Are you brutally injured? Should we amputate?"

Zak growled.

"This is what I have to deal with day in and day out," he said the camera.

"That's your problem," I quipped.

Zak was about to continue his "poor pitiful me" speech when I spoke and he started laughing.

"You're right, sweetie. That is my problem," he said, "Why don't you pedal over there and smash into Nick?"

I was already on it. Nick screamed and pressed his feet into the pedal, but they slid and didn't catch. I flew after him and was so close to ramming him when the pedals caught and he took off.

"They're going to get hurt," I heard Aaron say.

"They're going to break those trikes before we even get them into the van," Zak said.

I laughed and chased after Nick, both of us laughing too hard the go as fast as we could have.

"Don't crash!" he called after me.

"I'm not going to crash. You might, though," I replied.

Nick laughed, but just as he turned around, he ran into a stand full of keychains. I took this as my chance, and I crashed into him hard.

"That's not fair!" he cried out.

"Yes it is," I argued.

Nick narrowed his eyes at me and smirked.

"Mikey, don't kill Nick. We need him tonight!" Aaron called.

Nick stood and turned his trike around.

"Oh, he's dead!" I said.

"Not before I get you first!" Nick argued.

I laughed and scooted back. I did a U-turn in the aisle and pedaled back towards Aaron and Zak. They jumped out of my way. I could hear Nick barreling towards me. I was going to let him get fairly close and psych him out by turning really quickly into the Lego aisle, but I turned too sharply and toppled the trike over. The guys were laughing their asses off.

"Shut up!" I shouted at them.

Nick pedaled up to me and stood, holding out a hand for me. I took it and hopped to my feet.

"Leave the fancy stunt driving to the professionals," he said.

I raised an eyebrow at him as I sat my trike upright.

"Oh, and what are you? Triker profesh?" I asked.

"Psht! 'Chyeah! Since I was three years old!" he said.

I rolled my eyes and picked up the plastic toy by the steering wheel to carry it on out. Zak and Aaron came around the corner, Zak still filming away.

"You got all of that on camera, didn't you?" I asked.

Zak smiled and nodded.

"Every second," he replied.

I rolled my eyes. Zak ended the Aaron's Vlog and handed the phone back to Aaron.

"We'll have to have a rematch later, Mikes," Nick said.

I was pumped. I totally wanted a rematch!

"You're on, bro," I said.

Nick smiled and picked his trike up.

"Do you think Annabelle will like that trike?" Aaron asked Nick.

Nick shrugged.

"She can play with it if she wants, but this thing is mine!" Nick replied, making us laugh.

Zak turned to me.

"Crashed and burned, did you?"

I smirked at him.

"I'm not a licensed triker," I replied.

Zak laughed and took the trike off of my hands.

"Well, that's enough for today. Come on. I need to find some sunscreen. There's not going to be a single cloud in the sky today," he said.

"Zak, bro, you're orange enough. I don't think you'll get much of a sunburn," Nick said.

I looked up at Zak. I had seen people who tanned a lot get sunburned, and it wasn't a pretty skin tone.

"No, go ahead and get it. Don't want you turning purple," I said.

Zak laughed and took my hand.

"That would be just lovely, wouldn't it?" he asked.

Zak purple? Yuck!

"You'd look like Nightcrawler or something," I said.

Aaron and Nick burst out laughing.

"Hey! I'd make a damn sexy Nightcrawler and you know it," he snapped playfully.

Hello Zak's Ego. Welcome back!

"Whatever," I said.

I tried to visualize Zak in a different skin color, but it wasn't doing it for me. Tan worked.

We finally found Zak's precious sunscreen and Nick and I rode our trikes in the parking lot. Zak scolded us, saying we could easily get hit by a car. We didn't listen until some idiot in a really loud car zipped passed us.

"Sweetie, give me your hand," Zak said when he and Aaron found Nick and I parked against a lamppost.

I held onto the steering wheel with one hand and Zak took the other to tow me safely across the parking lot.

"I told you that you could get hit. Did I not?"

"Yes, mommy," I replied.

He glared at me.

"I'm going to kill you before this day's over," he said.

I laughed and got off my trike. I picked it up and kissed him.

"Thanks for the trike," I said.

Zak smiled as we walked to the back of the open van.

"I thought you might like it," he said.

"We all should have got one," Aaron said as he opened the passenger side door to get in.

"No! That's just trouble waiting to happen," Zak said.

I laughed and loaded my trike in beside Nick's.

"How are we going to get these through baggage claim?" I asked.

Zak shut the doors.

"We'll figure it out. I didn't even think about that," he said.

"We can pedal home, Michael!" Nick called from the front seat.

I laughed and followed Zak around to the side of the van.

"Come on. Let's go see the real Thomas," Zak said.

Xxx

When we arrived, it was like a my childhood dream come true. The parking lot was packed and the streets were lined with cars. Kids and their parents were walking everywhere with their faces painted and balloons in their hands. I had my camera ready to go. I wanted to send some of the photos to Volta when all was said and done. He would be so jealous, and he only lived a few hours away. He was missing the entire thing.  
Zak's mother mode turned on immediately when we got out of the van. He basically had three overgrown children to watch in a sea of real children. I couldn't help it. The boys' excitement was infectious.

"Michael, listen. I need you to listen. I need you all to listen you me," Zak said.

I ignored him. I was dancing around like a little kid as we walked through the gates. Aaron and I both were ready to take off and run to the first tent.

"What is on your shirt?" Nick asked.

I looked down, not remembering what I had put on. I suddenly remembered upon seeing an upside-down image of Thomas the Tank Engine as a Transformer.

"It's OpTHOMAS Prime," I replied.

Nick laughed.

"Where on Earth did you get that?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"Some t-shirt website. Or maybe it was a present. I don't remember," I said.

"Michael Tesla!" Zak snapped.

I turned around to him and gave him apologetic dog eyes.

"I need you guys to listen. I spoke to the manager on the way over here and I got an idea. Are you guys ready?"

We nodded. Zak pulled up a piece of paper he had gotten from the lady at the gates.

"We can still ride the train if you guys want, but listen. At the same time our train leaves, there is a whistle show out in the yard where the new roundhouse is. There are supposed to be all these steam engines and everything. I really would rather see that, but it's up to you guys. But the thing is, the manager is letting us use one of the engines for our promo shots. Michael, are you listening?"

I nodded eagerly.

"He said we can stand on it. In it. In front of it. Wherever. He also said, if there was time, he would let one of us go in and blow the whistle. IF there is time, that is," Zak finished.

Aaron, Nick and I jumped around like little kids. Zak shook his head.

"I'm glad Bill and Jay aren't here. Then I would have five of you to deal with," Zak said.

I laughed.

"Aw! Poor baby," I said.

I held his arm and reached up to kiss his cheek. Aaron and Nick were laughing at Zak's fuming.

"Stop it. Do you guys want to see the show or play with wooden train sets until Thomas leaves?" Zak asked.

"I vote show," Nick said.

"Yeah. I want to blow the whistle," Aaron said.

Zak looked down to me. I sighed. I really wanted to see the show now, but I still wanted to at least go see the Thomas replica engine.

"Only if we can take pictures with Thomas," I proposed.

Zak nodded.

"That's fine. After lunch, we'll go take some pictures," he said.

Aaron grabbed my arm.

"Let's go get our faces painted! I want my face painted," Aaron said.

"You'll have to scrub it off before we shoot," I said.

Aaron thought about it for a second.

"Fine," he decided.

I giggled and ran off with Aaron, leaving Nick and Zak behind. They would just poop on our party, anyways.

Xxx

The guys and I sat out on the grass and watched the show. They already had four different engines on the tracks, including the mule engine I had watched try and back up a bigger engine the last time we were here. The hissing steam and clanging bells alone were amazing. I couldn't wait to get up close and get the guys on the front of one to take promos.  
The smell of acrid steam engine filled the air and the sound of their whistles echoed everywhere. It was amazing to see such a show. It was like traveling back to a much simpler time. It gave me goosebumps. Even Zak shivered.

"Do you guys feel the ground shaking?" Nick asked toward the end of the show.

The guys and I looked at him. We concentrated, and I did indeed feel a rumbling beneath me. I could also hear a rumbling.

"Yeah, g," Aaron replied, "What is that?"

Zak looked up the engines.

"Nothing is moving. Earthquake?"

Nick shrugged. The conductor hosting the show came over the speakers again.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you all are in for a little bit of a treat. We have one last engine to show you all," he said.

The rumbling turned into a chugging. It sounded like a tornado coming in.

"This engine is an it's North American excusion tour, and today on your Day Out with Thomas is the exact day that this engine is passing through. We have one just like it out in our old roundhouse," he continued.

I looked down the line when I heard the clanging of a bell.

"No. Fucking. Way!" I exclaimed.

A deep, resonating whistle blasted from the engine. I screamed in excitement.

"These engines are rare, and it is a real treat to see one in action. Ladies and gentlemen, I now present the Union Pacific #3985 Challenger!"

I jumped to my feet and blasted away at the shutter button. Zak was laughing.

"Look at that. You did finally get to see one in action," he said.

The double smoke stacks were coughing out black smoke as the engine approached. It whistled out a hello, blasting an amazing bass-y whistle. I loved it!  
Later, we spoke with the conductor. We got the Challenger to stay long enough to take shots with, but we chose the smallest of the engines at the show to shoot promos. It was a lot easier to fit into frame.  
As we were taking pictures, using the engine as a backdrop as the guys posed on the grass between the track. I noticed something strange. However, I quickly passed it off as a lens flare. I took several more photos just in case. It wasn't until I was taking the solo photos of Zak that I continued to be taking more than just a picture of Zak.

"Hey, babe? Come here," I said as I reviewed the pictures when we were done.

Zak walked on over and stood beside me, looking over my shoulder at the LCD screen. I brought up a shot of him and handed the camera to him.

"Is it just me, or is there a figure standing behind you. It's really hard to make out, but do you see that? It wasn't dirt on the lens. I checked."

Zak removed his sunglasses and squinted carefully at the screen.

"I have no idea. That's really weird. Good eye. I would have never caught that. Yeah, I think that could very well be a figure. Maybe it's one of the criminals who was hanged at the gallows," he said.

"But that figure shows up in only your pictures and only behind you," I said.

Zak skimmed through the shots.

"How many times did you catch it? There's two," he said.

"Three, I think," I replied.

"Wow! That's awesome that you caught it that many times. We'll have to bring these up on the computer later. It seems like I was standing in the same spot, so it's probably residual. That figure is probably stuck there," he concluded.

I nodded. Zak handed me back my camera and pulled his sunglasses off of his head.

"The question is, why?" he said.

Zak winked at me and smirked before replacing his glasses and returning to Nick and Aaron. I fought to suppress a growl. Damn, he was gorgeous as he walked away.

Xxx

"This engine yard is packed with dark history that the engines here run over every day. This is a place were many, innocent and guilty alike, were hanged in the gallows where the new roundhouse now sits. This is also a place where many workers lost their lives to work related accidents, such as the case of a man who fell into the turntable pit and was crushed. There was also an accident on the tracks with one of the railroads largest engines that caused an explosion and the death of the engine's crew. There was also a fire in the second level of the old roundhouse that used to be the courthouse. This fire killed many workers, and its impact can still be felt to this day."

"Oh, well I could have told you that," I said off camera.

Zak lost his front and tried hard not to crack up.

"Yeah, I bet you could've," he said.

"Keep going, Zak. Michael, shut the fuck up," Nick snapped at me playfully.

I just giggled and crouched back down to take more pictures.

"Tonight, we will be investigating the station, where it is said that shadow figures are seen and voices of the busy station could be heard, even when no one is around. We will also be investigating the apparitions and voices heard on the grounds and the strange paranormal activity taking place in the old roundhouse where the dead engine still sits. And hopefully this time, no one will fall off the cliff," Zak said.

"You shut up, sir!" I snapped at him, making him laugh.

"Michael will be joining us on this investigation, as much as I don't want her to. This place is not safe at all. We proved that last time we were here," Zak said.

"Zak, shut up. You'll be with me. I'll be fine," I said.

"I was with you last time and you got in trouble," he argued.

Aaron turned his camera to Nick.

"Lover's quarrel," Nick said lowly, as if I couldn't hear him.

"They're fighting like an old married couple already," Aaron said, "So sweet."

Both Zak and I looked over at the boys. Zak gave them a death glare.

"Hey!" Zak barked, "Shut up! We need Michael on this one. She knows more about trains than we do. She could help us."

Aaron looked down at me.

"I honestly don't see how much help I could be," I said to him.

Aaron smiled and shrugged.

"I think he just wants to spend time with his wifey," he said.

I smiled and shook my head, knowing that was problem the honest truth.

Xxx  
Lockdown

"Don't you even touch those stairs," Zak ordered, "I should have known better than to let you have caffeine."

I was being the absolute shits tonight. When I get caffeine down me, I tend to get crazy. I insisted that it would help me stay up all night, but really, I just turned into a little kid who does not know how to listen.  
We were filming now. Zak had a night vision camera, a Mel Meter, and a PX device, while I carried around my DSLR, a night vision camera, and a digital recorder. We were loaded down and had really no time to mess around, yet here I was with one foot in the air over the first step.

"Michael!" Zak hissed.

I giggled and put my foot on the stair.

"You are so dead. Get over here!" he growled and pointed aggressively to the floor in front of him.

"Mhmm, Zak is getting betchy!" I said teasingly and climbed another step.

"Michael Tesla, get your ass over here right now!"

I pretended to pout and trudged over to him, my eyes focused on my boots. I walked until his own shoes came into view. I slowly looked up at him. His arms were crossed and his expression was serious. I smirked and stole a kiss from him and took off.

"You are such an ornery little shit!" he yelled after me.

"You're stuck with me!" I called back as I jumped over debris and walked around the massive Union Pacific Challenger that was parked in the first stall.

Zak followed me over to the engine.

"Sometimes I wonder why I married you," he said jokingly.

I was fixing the settings on my camera behind one of the giant drive wheels when I heard him speak. I poked my head around the front buffers and grinned at him. I could only see his skin through the light coming in through the cracks in the walls.

"'Cause you love me," I said cheekily.

Zak came around to me and held my cheek as he kissed my forehead.

"Come on. Let's go upstairs since you wanted to go up there so badly," he said.

"Yes!" I exclaimed victoriously.

Zak and I traversed the stairs and walked through the second story workshop. We sat against the back wall, him shooting video and me snapping pictures every once in a while. It was peaceful at the moment. Cool wind blew in through the missing wall. I was still thinking about the figure in the photos I had taken earlier. I couldn't wait to analyze them.

"Can you imagine?" Zak asked, breaking the silence of the roundhouse, "Working, trying to get a wheel or something fixed and a mill just blows up in your face?"

I looked over at the hole in the floor that the machine fire had caused.

"Imagine what happened to the guy who was possibly working on the machine. He would have either exploded, or burned alive," I said.

Zak shivered.

"Can you imagine such a death? What a way to go," Zak commented.

I nodded and snapped photos in the direction of the hole.

"If they are residual, do you think we may catch one walking on air?" I asked.

Zak raised his eyebrows.

"Good thinking. That would be something," he said.

We were quiet for a little while as Zak worked and filmed. It was getting late, and I was beginning to crash off of my caffeine high. I needed a pick me up.

"Are you ready for a break, or are you good?" Zak asked, as if he had read my mind.

"We can work a little longer. I'm not completely wiped out yet," I replied.

Zak sat his camera down beside him, still rolling. I could tell he was bored. The building wasn't quite active yet. We had to wait a while for conditions to be optimum for activity. I went ahead and snapped away for a little while longer. The more pictures I took meant, not only a better chance at catching a figure, but more for me to look through at home so I wouldn't be bored. Yes, at Zak's house, I occasionally got bored. Who would have thought?  
Zak laid his head on my shoulder and snaked his arms around me.

"You know what would be totally horrible of us?" he asked.

I glanced out of the corner of my eye and smiled at him.

"What's that?" I asked.

Zak shut his camera off and turned back to me. He cupped my face in his hands and smashed his lips against mine. I was surprised by his behavior, but in love with it all the same.

"Zak, stop. Not on a lockdown," I said.

Zak nuzzled my neck.

"Hotel?" he asked.

I couldn't believe him! I mean, I could, but that wasn't the point.

"You will be way too tired. What has gotten into you?" I asked.

Zak sighed.

"Aaron brought up Valentine's Day earlier," he replied in the same tone a kid used when they knew they were in trouble.

I laughed.

"Yeah, that's coming up. I know you don't like Valentine's, but what do you want for it?" I asked.

Zak smiled. He stared at me, his eyes boring straight into mine in the light of my camera's LCD screen. His eyes, being that swirling ocean blue they were, were terrifying to look at in certain settings. I felt a lump catch in my throat.

"Nothing," he finally replied.

His piercing stare faded.

"Oh, come on. Give me some idea to go off of," I said.

Zak shook his head.

"I just want you there with me. That's all I want. It's not like Christmas or something," he said.

I sighed. There was no arguing with him.

"Fine," I said, "But if I'm not allowed to get you anything, then I don't want anything."

Zak smirked. I knew he had probably already had something in mind for me, if he hadn't gotten it already.

"I'm serious," I went on, "This is our first Valen-"

I was cut off by a distant sound that caused us both to shudder.

"Did you hear that?" I whispered.

Zak nodded and stood to his feet. He concentrated carefully. Outside, above the howling wind, an echoing of a whistle could be heard.

"I thought they put all the engines up?" I asked.

Zak held his hand out, gesturing for me to shut up.

"Shh!" he hissed.

I stood up and listened. I couldn't hear anything now.

"I hear something far off in the distance," Zak whispered.

"All I can hear is the wind," I said.

We listened for a little bit longer, but there was nothing but silence.

"And I wasn't rolling either. Dammit!"

"Well, maybe Aaron or Nick caught it," I said.

Zak scratched the back of his head and groaned.

"Maybe Nick did. He's out in the yard," he said.

We soon left the second floor and headed on outside. We rejoined Aaron, who was standing in the old turntable pit. His face was as white as a sheet.

"Hey, are you okay?" I asked.

Aaron looked up at me. He didn't look good at all. Zak hopped down into the pit and held his hands out to catch me as I slid in. We walked over to Aaron. He was sweating and shaking.

"Guys, there's something in here. It's draining all of my energy. I don't feel good, bro," Aaron said.

Zak pulled a digital recorder out of his pocket. I walked over to Aaron. He had backed himself up into the rusting turntable and was leaning on it heavily.

"What happened, Aaron? Did you see anything?" I asked.

Aaron slowly shook his head.

"I was getting ready to do an EVP session and I just...I don't know, man," he said.

"I don't feel anything, Aaron," Zak said.

"There's something in here. I'm not fucking playing with you," Aaron growled.

"Alright, bro! I believe you. Geez!" Zak said.

Whatever was affecting Aaron was not good, and he really did not need to stay in the pit any longer than he had to.

"I'm going to do an EVP session. You guys stay silent for a minute," Zak said.

Aaron slumped to the gravel floor, completely drained. I sat down with him. I didn't know what I could do, but I was ready to help him out.

"Who is in here with us?" Zak asked, "Who is draining all of Aaron's energy?"

There was hardly any wind contamination in the pit, so when Aaron and I both heard a whisper, we both jumped.

"Holy shit, bro! I just heard a voice!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak looked over at us.

"From where? I didn't hear anything," he said.

"Like, all around. I'm not sure where it came from," Aaron replied.

"Did you just speak? What is your name? Did you die in this pit?" Zak asked.

He waited a little bit longer in silence. I helped Aaron up to his feet.

"You need to get out of here, bro," I said.

Aaron groaned.

"Yeah, I know," he said.

Zak walked over to us and played back the record session.

"Maybe we caught that voice you two heard," he said.

I hope so. I was interested in hearing what it said.

"_Who is in here with us? ...You gonna get hurt_."

Zak's eyes widened to the size of baseballs.

"That was Class A! Class A, bro!" Aaron said excitedly.

"'You gonna get hurt.' I heard that loud and clear," I said.

Zak looked over at the turntable.

"I wonder if it's a spirit telling us that we're going to get hurt if we remain down here," Zak said.

"Or maybe it was speaking to Aaron? It sounded a little threatening," I said.

But what did I know? This was up for Billy to analyze.

"Dude, I wouldn't doubt it," Aaron said to me.

He was terrified. Aaron usually heard voices, but he was never affected by them unless they were dark energies. He had been scratched, drained, and partially possessed by the more evil forces. It would totally make sense if this was a darker energy, but the question was, why was it in the pit?

"That doesn't make sense, Aaron. If there are any spirits in this pit, they died on accident. Nothing sinister happened in this area," Zak said.

"Then, if it was good, it must have had to take on a ton of energy. I'm wiped," Aaron said.

"We'll regroup and break in a minute. Let's listen to the rest of this," Zak said.

"_Blah! ...Holy shit, bro! I just heard a voice! ...From where? Run!_"

"It said 'Run!'" Aaron and I exclaimed at the same time.

"Yeah, I heard that, too, but there's something else. Hang on," Zak said.

He rewound the recording and replayed it.

"_Ack! ...Holy shit, bro!_"

I wrinkled by nose. I had no idea what it said. Zak played it again.

"Did it just say 'crap'?" I asked.

Zak shook his head and played it again.

"_Zak! ...Holy shit, bro!_"

"Oh. My. God! Dude, it's saying your name!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak played the recording one more time to confirm what Aaron heard. I didn't honestly believe it was saying Zak's name. I was still hearing the word "crap." However, when Zak replayed it, my ears told my brain that it was indeed saying "Zak."

"What the fuck?" Zak asked nervously.

"I heard it that time. How does it know your name?" I asked fearfully.

"It must be intelligent. We've been here before. Maybe it remembered our names," Zak said.

The wind, which had been virtually nonexistent in the pit, blew straight in. There was a loud creaking from the turntable. The guys and I spun around and saw the table swinging slowly towards it. It had broken free of it's rusted bonds.

"Let's get the hell out of here!" Aaron said.

"Good idea," said Zak.

We quickly hauled ourselves up and out and booked it for the station. My heart was racing and my adrenaline was pumping. I couldn't ignore the events leading up to the voices, and I couldn't wait to see what Billy could pick up when we analyzed our evidence.


	4. Return to Where!

**Zak and Michael's house several days later.**

Aaron sighed and leaned against the pool table, crossing his arms over his chest. Nick, Billy, and Zak were seated in front of the computer screens running over footage and audio. I had just finished with analyzing the first half of my photos and was taking a break when I entered the man cave. Ernie was sleeping at Billy's feet and Gracie was looking on worriedly at Aaron. I was beginning to worry about him, too. Whatever had happened in the pit must have really shaken him.  
I walked over to him and hauled myself up onto the table's edge.

"I really don't wanna go over this footage. I really don't," Aaron said, shaking his head.

I gently gripped Aaron's shoulder reassuringly.

"What happened down there, Aaron?" I asked.

Aaron shook his head some more and rubbed his face in his hands.

"I'm still not entirely sure. I climbed in and walked towards the center and I suddenly felt like shit. I don't know how to explain it," he replied.

"Well, you do know a man was knocked over and smeared all across the entire circumference of the turntable pit," I said.

Aaron groaned.

"Maybe you were channeling his feelings?"

Aaron shook his head again.

"No, this was something else. Something wasn't right about that pit," he said.

"I agree with Aaron," Zak spoke up.

The guys and I focused our attention on him.

"I mean, Michael, you and I didn't feel anything, but Aaron's body picked up on it. Our bodies know when we're in the presence of a dark energy. Maybe something sinister really _did_ happen. What if the death in the pit hadn't been an accident, but in fact, a murder?"

We all exchanged thoughtful glances. Not many people died by accident in a turntable pit. I agreed with Zak's hypothesis.

"Yeah!" Nick said, his eyes wide with excitement at this new mystery, "What if the guy was pushed off or thrown in? What if it was all on purpose? Even the roundhouse fire?"

I felt like I was in an episode of _Scooby-Doo_. Zak was getting excited by these new questions. His eyes lit up like a little boy at Christmas time.

"What if all of this has been a big conspiracy? Or maybe supernatural forces were causing it!" Zak said excitedly as he bounced up and down in his chair.

"Ooo! Yeah!" Nick said.

Nick and Zak were grinning ear to ear. Billy and I were laughing at them, but Aaron didn't think it was funny.

"Guys, stop it! Really! What I felt scared me. It's not something to joke about," Aaron said.

Nick and Zak turned and gave Aaron apologetic looks.

"We're sorry, bro," Nick said.

To show how sorry he was, Nick walked up to Aaron and gave him a hug.

"It's okay," Aaron said quietly.

"What did you feel down there?" Zak asked.

Nick wandered back to his chair beside Billy.

"I just felt like shit," Aaron shrugged and replied, "I felt sick and just...filthy. I felt like I was dipped in oil and rolled in dirt. No! You know what it was like? It was like when we did the three-way call to Bobby Mackey's and Washoe! Except, I didn't feel like I was getting taken over, I felt like my soul was leaving me, if that makes any sense at all. When you guys came by, it quit. Like, when Mikey walked over to me, it was gone. It was so weird."

Zak's eyes drifted away and he started absently at the far wall, deep in thought.

"That is weird," I murmured.

"Holy hell!" Billy exclaimed.

He had headphones on, listening to the EVPs.

"Zak, this thing said your name!" he said.

He pulled the plug out of the jack and turned the volume all the way up to play the enhanced EVP.

"Yeah, that's what we heard when we reviewed it," Zak said.

"But listen. Right after it says your name, it says 'run'," Billy said.

My eyes widened in surprise.

"See? Listen," Billy said.

He replayed the clip, and sure enough, it said "run" right after Zak asked Aaron where the sound had come from.

"Man! I didn't even realize it that around the same time it said my name. I was too excited," Zak said.

Billy replayed it again, nodding as he confirmed what the EVP said to himself.

"Why is it telling you to run?" I asked.

Zak shrugged.

"I mean, why is it speaking to you specifically? Aaron was the one who should have been running," I continued.

Zak leaned back in his seat, troubled by what I had said. Really, though. Why was it speaking directly to him?

"I hate it when they say my name," Zak grumbled.

"I know, bro. Doesn't it give you the chills?" Nick asked.

Zak nodded. For a moment, I feared that it may have attached itself to Zak, but he showed no symptoms. Plus, he wore a special necklace of his for protection. There was nothing at the railroad to hurt us...right?

"Well, maybe it's like you said, Zak," Aaron spoke up.

Zak looked up at Aaron.

"Maybe it was intelligent and just saying your name to be saying it. We can't be sure. Maybe it was telling us all to run. Remember when the table began to move?"

"The turntable?" Nick asked, fear in his eyes.

The three of us nodded.

"Shit!" Nick said.

"I don't think so, Aaron," Billy said, "It's the same voice."

Billy replugged his headphones into the computer speakers and listened to the EVP directly.

"That sudden gush of wind that swept through there can't be ignored either. It was like someone was telling us to fucking run or we were going to get smashed. I think there were two entities there with us," Zak said.

"That's what it sounds like to me. Zak, listen to this," Billy said.

Billy handed the headphones to Zak and played a clip. Zak's eyes enlarged as Billy played the EVP for him.

"That's a different voice saying 'You gonna get hurt'," Billy said.

"That's the one that sounded that sounded evil to me," I said.

Billy shrugged.

"It's hard to tell, Michael. But it definitely sounds like a male voice. Nick, give this a listen," he said.

Nick took the headphones from Zak and listened to the EVPs. By the end, he was nodding.

"The first was definitely male, there's no doubt about it," he said.

"Especially since it's Class A," Zak said, pointing to the screen dramatically.

"But the other is really hushed. I can't really tell if it's male or not," Nick said.

Billy isolated part of the audio and compared the two clips.

"The pitch frequency is completely different on the second ones. Look how much higher it is than the first one," Billy said.

"Do you think it could be a female spirit, then?" Nick asked.

Billy shrugged.

"It's almost impossible to tell since the quality is so poor. It is a different spirit, though. Whether one was female and one was male, or one was good or evil is hard to determine. We'll have to leave this one up in the air," he explained.

Nick and Zak nodded.

"Well, I think this was pretty successful," Zak said, "We got some great EVPs, Michael caught an apparition, and Aaron felt the presence of a spirit. I think it's pretty good for our first lockdown of this season's filming. Good job, guys," Zak praised us.

We all nodded in agreement and thanked him.

"Maybe good luck is on our side this time," I said.

Zak nodded happily. Nick's phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his pocket.

"Well, we're going to really need this good luck," he said.

We all looked over at Nick.

"Why?" we all asked.

Nick sighed heavily. I didn't like the look on his face.

"Because we're going to need it where we're going next," he replied.

Zak launched himself over to Nick and took his phone out of his hands. Oh, please don't let it be Bobby Mackey's or Poveglia Island!  
Zak shrugged and gave Nick a look.

"Ohio. I like Ohio," he said.

"No, you don't. Trust me," Nick said.

Zak scrolled down and paled as he read the rest of the text or email.

"Oh no," he said.

"Oh shit," Aaron said.

I looked over at the window, waiting for the Kool-Aid man to jump through and scream "Oh yeah!"

"'Oh shit' is right," Nick said.

Zak handed the phone back to Nick and looked gravely at us.

"Looks like we're returning to Sedamsville Rectory," he said.

Oh, hell no! Hell no! That place, as far as I was concerned, was a twin building of Bobby Mackey's. It was like Eureka Springs, Arkansas' Basin Park Hotel and the Crescent Hotel.

"What?" Aaron exclaimed, "Hell fucking no! I refuse to go back there!"

"Aaron, we don't have a choice!" Zak snapped.

"My ass!" Aaron shouted.

"Bro, I really don't want to go either," Nick admitted.

Zak spun around and glared at Nick.

"The network wants us to do a return episode," Zak said.

"So?" Nick asked.

"What the hell for?" I spoke up.

I was honestly pissed off now. That place was dangerous. Any place that requires and priest and a blessing over the crew is not a place we needed to go. That episode scared the living shit out of me.

"Do they not understand how truly evil it was? What the fuck do they want from us? Ratings? Do they want us to get new attachments? Do they want us to prove that exorcisms work? That they're the real deal? This isn't a fucking horror movie!"

"Michael, none of us want to do it. They understand that that place is dangerous for us," Zak said.

"Then they'll understand if they don't get any promos out of it!" I spat as I slid down and off the table.

"Michael, calm down. You don't have to go in. In fact, I won't allow it, but we really should do it, just to give the owners and the fans closure. Evil can be defeated-even if we can't see it," Zak said.

I huffed. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe the exorcism worked. Zak had been exercised before, and he was fine (or as fine as one can be after a possession).

"But believe me, guys," Zak went on.

We all looked up at him. Zak sighed.

"I don't want to go through with it, either," he said.

Xxx

That night, I was walking from our bedroom and out in the loft-like area on the second floor. The railing reminded me of when Zak told me about the time his attachments had yanked him out of bed and he awoke to see them lined up against the railing. They were gone now, but I still felt apprehension as I walked around to the stairs. I couldn't imagine the fear in Zak's eyes when he woke up to that. I mean, come on! It had forced him to have the house and his room specially blessed and new walls had been built up around it. I didn't want that to ever happen to him again. I just had this nagging fear that returning to the Rectory was going to stir shit up again.  
I climbed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. Zak was setting up our dinner plates. The scent of stir fry and salad made my stomach growl like a bear. Ernie was sitting at Zak's feet, looking up at him and silently begging him for a piece of meat out of our food. Gracie was right there alongside him.

"Ern. Gracie. Come on. Let's go outside," I called to them.

Gracie reluctantly pulled away from Zak and trotted over to the door I was holding open.

"Ernie!" I called.

Ernie looked around Zak's leg, his long ears perked up.

"Out," I commanded.

Ernie grunted, ignoring me, and looked back up at Zak. Zak chuckled.

"He's okay, Mikey. Come here and get your plate," Zak said.

Giving up, I closed the door and walked over to get my plate. Zak handed me the plate and a glass full of ice water.

"Thank-you, bubele," I said.

Zak laughed.

"You're welcome, cara mia," he said.

He looked at me and smirked as he watched me react to the pet name. The way he said it was hot! It set me on fire. I felt like I had swallowed habanero hot sauce.  
Zak and I took our food into the living room.

"Mmm, I love how you say that," I said as we walked in.

"You do?" Zak asked suggestively.

I set my plate down on the coffee table and turned to face him. Zak pulled the flirt out of me.

"Mhmm, sexy boy," I said, slipping my arms around his waist.

Zak smiled and leaned down to peck me on the lips.

"Let's eat and then I'll show you what I love about you," he said.

I laughed and kissed him back.

We chilled out and ate our dinner while watching television. It was delicious, and I ate every single bit of it. Too bad I overstuffed myself. When I looked over at Zak's plate, it looked like it had been licked clean. He was leaning back casually on the couch with one arm draped over the back and the other over his full stomach. I was too full to hardly move, and I bet he was too.  
Zak looked inviting tonight. His red t-shirt was tight against his chest, making me want to just lay on him and traced my fingers over the muscle underneath.  
I shifted myself over as soon as his arm moved away from his stomach. I dove in and wrapped my arms around him. Zak laughed softly.

"Someone is in a cuddling mood, huh?" he asked.

I nodded as I pressed my cheek into his soft t-shirt. Zak shifted to lay down on his back. I laid down on top of him and he draped an arm around my waist. Lazy nights like this were my favorite. I loved spending time like this with Zak. During break, on days when we had absolutely nothing do, we were perfectly fine with laying out in loungewear and snuggling up like this. It was winter, and we sought out the warmth of each other like magnets. Maybe it was still the new of our marriage and it hadn't worn off (but to be honest, I hope it never does), but I think that our strong bond was the result of the silent mutual want of each other's presence. Energies attract and bond, and I think that's how our souls functioned.  
I tilted my head up. Zak had a hand under his head that was propped up on a pillow leaning against the couch's arm rest. He looked down at me and smiled. He removed the hand from behind his head and reached down to hold my head. My eyes fluttered closed as his long fingers lightly massaged my scalp. I could have fallen asleep like that. I could have laid here forever, actually. I was endlessly happy. I could easily say that it was this gentle attention that I loved about this moment, but it really was Zak's mood. He was at peace. He had nothing to hurt him. Nothing to aggravate him. It was just me and him in our little sanctuary in the middle of the desert. It would be a shame if anything were to disrupt this little groove we were in-especially something like the lockdown at the Rectory.  
I was really worried about that. Nothing that I know of had followed Zak after the first time, but there was still that mental recovery we had to go through after every lockdown. That's why back to back lockdowns were so hard. We had, so far, kept filming spaced out, mostly for the sake Nick and giving him enough time to be with his family, since right now was a critical bonding time for him and Annabelle, but Zak and I didn't want any drama to start between us. We were still adjusting, and filming can easily get on one's nerves. We needed our time together, and our schedule seemed to work out nicely. It was just these damn lockdowns from hell that caused a problem.  
I didn't want Zak going on this lockdown. I constantly worried about his exposure to the spirit world, and it was a secret fear I had about him getting a new attachment. I had seen first hand what he can do under the influence of a violent possession, and I was no match. I knew how to to bring him back to normal if he was still partially all there mentally. In an aggressive situation, I had no idea what to do, and that scared me. Zak should know this, I suppose.

"Hey, Zak?"

I lightly traced his ribs. Zak's soft scalp massage ceased and his hand moved down and laced fingers with mine.

"Yes, sweetie?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to be that girl who told him what he could and couldn't do. I supported him in whatever choice he made, but I could not do it this time-not when I knew it could hurt him.

"I don't want you going on this coming lockdown," I admitted.

I looked back up at him. His expression held sadness and concern.

"I just...I really don't think you should. I don't want you getting hurt," I said.

Zak's other hand moved up and gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"I was already planning on canceling it," he said.

I was surprised to hear that.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah," he replied.

"But, what about the network? Will they be mad? It was their request, after all," I said.

Zak sighed heavily.

"Michael, I don't give a shit. I could care less if they get mad. They can do their worst. I don't care. I cannot let them get to you. I have to protect you as much as possible. I can't let you get hurt just because of a senseless request by Travel. They can kiss my ass," Zak said.

I sat up and looked at him in shock.

"Don't you think for one second that I forgot my promise, sweetheart," he said.

I smiled.

"I fucking love you," I blurted out.

Zak smiled widely.

"For considering to cancel the lockdown?" he asked.

"No," I replied.

I scooted up him and squeezed down on my side beside him, my face in his neck. Zak shifted to allow us more comfort and his held me in the safety of his arms.

"For being my dark knight," I said.

Excitement flashed across Zak's face.

"Batman?" he asked.

I burst out laughing.

"No! What are you talking about? Batman has nothing on you, you gorgeous thing," I said.

Zak smiled and slid out from under me. He caged me in beneath him and his soft, full lips molded against mine. I was melting, and I could hear the distinct voice of the Wicked Witch of the West screaming "melting!" in my head. Zak caressed my face with his gentle fingers and soft, light kisses on my cheekbones, eyelids, and jaw.

"You're so beautiful. I love you so much, Michael," he said softly into my neck.

He pressed his lips against the skin near my jugular. I involuntarily moaned and arched into him. I grasped his head and brought his face back up to show him my gratitude in a deep kiss.  
Zak proceeded to show me what his definition of beautiful was. That poor couch never saw it coming, and frankly, neither did I. My body was wracked with ecstasy and shrouded in the love and affection. He knew how to make someone feel loved. He was, in every way, amazing.

Xxx  
Two weeks later.

The amount of tolerance Zak had for people amazed me. He had an incredible amount of patience. He tried to reason with people and find a solution, or at least, a happy medium in order for everyone to get what they wanted. However, I feel like many take advantage of his leniency-especially the network!

"You were too nice about it," Aaron had said, and the guys and I agreed.

So now, I was standing with Nick, Billy, and Jay on the steps of a local church in Cincinnati, Ohio, waiting on Zak and Aaron to finish receiving their blessings. I swear, any location that requires a blessing beforehand isn't worth investigating. Nick and Aaron had b-roll to shoot, and I was going to go ahead and go with them to get some blog photos taken. I was supposed to return to the hotel afterwards, but I wanted to stay in case they needed an extra pair of hands. I also didn't feel entirely comfortable with leaving Zak here. Yes, he is a full grown man that can take care of himself, but I still felt like I should stay nearby. I don't fully understand it, but something was telling me to stay. Billy seemed to feel the same way as well.

"Do you think the exorcism really worked?" Billy asked Nick.

Nick looked worried and he had remained silent this entire trip. His reply was the first I had heard out of him since we met up with him at the airport.

"We can only hope," he said.

Billy nodded and turned to me.

"Are you staying?" Billy asked, "I know Zak doesn't want you going in on the lockdown."

I shrugged.

"I planned on staying. Zak told me to go back to the hotel afterwards, but I don't think I should," I replied.

"Yeah. I think you should stay. Something could happen and we might need your help," he said.

I nodded. Billy leaned over to me to say something that he didn't want Nick or Jay hearing.

"And between you and me, I think we're going to have our hands full. We need to prepare for the worst," he said, his voice just above a whisper.

"I'm ready," I assured him.

The church doors opened to reveal Zak and Aaron.

"How did it go?" Nick asked.

Zak and Aaron walked down the steps to rejoin the rest of us.

"Good," Aaron replied.

"Feel better?" Billy asked.

I don't know if it was my lack of connection with religion, or just worry consuming me that made me feel unaffected by the blessing, but I could honestly say that I didn't feel any better about this.

"Kind of," Zak replied.

He walked up to me.

"Mikey, sweetie, where is that necklace I gave you?" he asked.

I reached into my collar and pulled up the Ghost Adventures necklace that I wore on our wedding day. I hardly ever took it off, unless of course it was for a shower or bedtime. I didn't want to get it wet and I really didn't want to get strangled by it.  
Zak took the pendant in his fingers and flipped it over. For the first time, I noticed tiny lettering engraved into the back.

"This is a sort of prayer that has helped me and protected me. I believe it'll help fend any darkness from reaching you. It'll keep them from dragging you into their portal or attacking you. Do not take this off," Zak said.

I took the pendant back and tried to read the words, but they were in a different language.

"Has this been in there the entire time?" I asked.

"Yes, Mikey. Promise me you won't take it off between now, and even several days after this lockdown. I can't risk you getting exposed in case something happens to me or the guys. You understand?"

I nodded.

"Promise you will keep it on," he pleaded.

I slipped the necklace back under my shirt.

"I promise," I said.

Zak half-smiled. He gently grasped my arms and kissed me. I reached up and cupped his jaw in my hands.

"You promise me something, mister," I said.

"Yes, sweetie?"

I watched his eyes for a minute. They were serious, concerned, and had taken on a chilly gray shade. They weren't that same shade of ocean blue that you can see from a mile away. His deep frown made him look tired and older than he was. This was stressful on him, and it was slowly beginning to show. I really hated what this was doing to him.

"Do not open yourself to them. Do not provoke them. Don't do anything outrageous. Keep yourself safe, please."

"Michael, I have to get evidence one way or another. I can't promise you that," he said.

Anger bubbled up within me. I wanted to knock some sense into him. This wasn't something to mess around with, and he of all people should know that!

"You don't have to get shit. It can be a big 'fuck you' to Travel," I said.

"Believe me, Mikey. I don't want to get any evidence, but I gotta do what I gotta do," he replied.

I looked down and removed my hands from his face, stuffing them in my pockets as I stared at his shoes.

"I know," I sighed.

Zak lifted my face so I would look back up at him. Our eyes connected. I couldn't read him, so I just blankly watched him and blinked.

"I promise I'll stay as safe as I can," he said.

I nodded understandingly. He pulled me into a hug.

"I was safe last time. I think I'll be okay," he said.

I hoped he knew what he was talking about.

"Come on. Let's go down there and I'll go with you to take a few pictures before lockdown," he said.

I nodded. Zak put an arm around my waist and we walked with the rest of the Crew to the van. Billy looked over his shoulder at me, a mixed look of worry and fear on his face. I knew my expression mirrored his. We were scared for the guys. All we could do was stay as positive as Zak put out to be, but I knew he was putting up a front. There was nothing left but to hope and pray.


	5. There's Something About the Doors

Yuck. That was the first word that popped into my head as Zak and I stepped in through the front door, him shutting it behind us. It looked like just a normal old house. The place was dead silent-so silent that I could hear my ears ringing. I wasn't sure if it was the spirits of the Rectory, or just tinnitus, but my eardrums ached for a new sound to break the silence.  
The afternoon sun was slowly descending outside, leaving a warm light coming in through the curtains of the windows on the west side. There was no evil energy to speak of, but that creeped me out even more. It was like it was hiding, if it was still here.

"There's a weird energy in here," I said.

I took slow, short steps further in as I walked passed the staircase. I was almost on tip-toe. For some reason, I was scared that if I made any more noise than I had to, I would make my presence known and wake up the dead.

"Yeah," Zak agreed, "but I don't feel like it's necessarily evil-or even spiritual energy, for that matter. But you're right, it does feel a little strange in here."

Becoming a little braver at Zak's words, I took some bigger steps as I walked by the basement door. All was quiet again as I looked around for things to take pictures of. The place was pretty bland. I was going to have to get creative.

"This is where the father got scratched," Zak's loud voice sounded, breaking the silence.

His voice came from right behind me. I had no idea he was there, and it made me jump.

"Geez, Mikey!"

"I'm sorry. You scared me!" I said, "This place is just...ugh!"

Zak frowned.

"I don't know. I just don't like it in here," I went on.

Zak put his arm around my shoulders.

"Well, let's hurry and get this done. I don't want you getting hurt in here," he said.

I nodded.

Zak led me through the house as I took pictures. Normally, I would take several shots of every possible angle in a room so I could pick the best of the pick later, but today, I felt like one or two was enough. I had a habit of catching apparitions, and I was scared I would capture one in here. I didn't want to walk away from this place with any evidence to speak of.  
When we went on upstairs, Zak kept me between him and the wall.

"Whatever is up here, or used to be up here was known to push women, so you stay close to me," he said.

Like I would even dream of leaving his side in this place!

"Keep your guard up," Zak murmured.

He kept his hand on my lower back or around my waist as he kept himself between me and the railing. I wasn't really too worried about being attacked myself. I was more concerned for Zak's safety. There spirits here knew him. However, I was trying to keep a positive mindset, letting my thoughts focus on getting back home unharmed.  
We walked over to the room where it was said that a priest had abused children back in the 1950s. I wanted to get at least one picture of it, but I refused to enter the room. If said acts of sin had been committed in this room in a place that was supposed to be of God, then I'm sure if any evil portal still existed, it was in this room.

"Zak, go on in there and let me get a shot of you," I said.

Zak reluctantly slipped away from me and walked to the center of the room. I quickly took a few candid shots and one of him facing me. I didn't want him being in here any longer than he had to. I felt like eyes were on us, and those eyes knew we were back for more. I felt it as we approached this room. If something really was watching us, it knew we were connected, and that terrified me. What if it attacked one of us just for the hell of it?

"Let's get the hell out of here," I said as I turned my camera off.

Zak walked back out of the room and took my hand. He could tell I was scared. I tried not to show it for the sake of keeping myself safe, but Zak knew me well enough to tell. I was just scared that if he could tell, so could the evil that has plagued the Rectory.  
We met Aaron and Nick outside in the yard, speaking with the owners. I felt a lot better as I came outside. I stood with Billy and took some more shots of the guys reuniting with the owners for Travel.  
Before lockdown, the guys spoke with Jay and Billy, going over everything before they headed in. I was sitting beside Billy in the back of the van that we were using as a nerve center.

"Did you feel any darkness in there when you and Mikey went?" Billy asked Zak.

Zak shook his head.

"I didn't feel anything. Michael said she felt weird being in there, but I think it was just fear from knowing what has gone on in there before. Tim and Terrie said they had not had a problem since we were last here," Zak said.

"Yeah," Aaron said, "They got a lot done with the restoration process."

"And did you notice Terrie? Totally different person now," Nick said.

"Yeah, I think the exorcism was successful. I think the fight is over, or at least almost. I think tonight will be the final battle that settles this all for good," Zak finished.

Billy and I exchanged doubtful glances. I had a sliver of hope since the boys were so positive about tonight's lockdown, but I was still scared.

"Michael," Zak's soft voice came from beside me.

I looked up at him.

"Why do you look so spooked? It's going to be alright," he said.

One of his hands cupped my cheek and the other held the side of my neck.

"Zak, I don't want you doing this," I confessed.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, I'm scared. I'm scared for all of you," I replied.

"Michael, listen to me," he said.

He sat down beside me and held me by the shoulders.

"You have every reason to be scared," Nick said.

Zak nodded in agreement.

"Whatever was here before is not here now. I can't feel any dark energy. The owners say there is nothing here anymore. But Michael, we have to prove that. This is a follow-up investigation and we need to get as many questions as possible answered."

I looked away from him and nodded. Zak lightly pressed the pads of his fingers to the bottom of my chin, tilting my head up to look at him.

"Stay strong for me, okay?"

I nodded. Zak kissed me and then hugged me tightly.

"I love you," he mumbled into my shoulder.

I turned my head and kissed his cheek. This reminded me of Romania, and that made it worse.

"I love you, too," I said quietly.

When the guys left for the investigation, Billy took my shoulder. I looked over at him.

"Be ready, Mikey. For anything," he said.

I nodded. I was now more determined than scared. I just had to stay positive. We were well prepared and protected. I just had to keep faith in the boys.  
Later on that night, I gave up on watching monitors and began working on editing some photos. The boys had spread out throughout the Rectory and (luckily) weren't having much luck on retrieving any evidence thus far. Jay and Billy had everything under control, so I dug out of memory card and plugged it into it's slot.  
When I uploaded the pictures, I was too scared to look at the ones I had taken inside of the house. I told myself I would analyze them later, but I really didn't want to. Instead, I opened up the photos I took outside. There was nothing really to analyze, just a few adjustments before I sent them in. There was always something to fix, whether it be exposure, saturation, noise, whatever. The outdoor pictures usually needed minor brightness and contrast tweaking, and occasionally I would have to go in and remove a booger hanging out of Aaron's nose or change the exposure around Zak's eyes because you could never seen them. It was little things. With the pictures I took today, there wasn't much to change. I adjusted the color saturation to make the colors of the grass, sky, and the red paint of the Rectory pop, but other than that, my work was pretty much finished.  
When I photograph the guys, I liked to do little burst sessions while they weren't doing anything. I loved capturing candid shots of their expressions. Zak was always really brooding and deep, but on occasion, I would catch that dazzling smile of his while he was standing with Nick and Aaron. I always caught Aaron in mid-laugh or smiling. Nick was by far my favorite to photograph from a photographer's standpoint. He was so expressive. I swear to you, I could make a poster of Nick Groff's emotions from all of the pictures I have. He was one of the best subjects I had ever had the pleasure of photographing. However, if we're talking about subjects from a personal standpoint...well, that's pretty obvious, isn't it?  
Zak was the most dramatic, and it showed in his photos. The way he held himself made for these dark, deep pictures. I think they captured the essence of him. He was a dark and deep person, but also a huge drama king. The pictures I took today expressed that deepness. I had taken several of him, including one of him looking on uneasily at the Rectory. There was another of him walking down the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets and he eyes trained on the concrete. He was on the side of the shot, the rest of the shot being of the gate and the yard. I was proud of the picture. He looked gorgeous, and the way the shadows and colors worked on made the picture perfect. It needed absolutely no editing. I was tempted to make it my new wallpaper.  
I checked the picture over to make sure there were no imperfections, when I noticed that someone had slipped into the background.

"_What the fuck_?" I thought.

I could have sworn no one else was around. When I took this, the owners had just left and Nick and Aaron were with Billy and Jay at the van. So, who the hell was this?  
I zoomed in on the person and was shocked by what I saw. This was no person-a person of this plane, anyway. The person in the background seemed to resemble a woman in a long, slim fitting white dress. I could make out her pale skin and long, curly hair, but I couldn't see much else. But she was transparent, and her edges were fuzzy. She was completely out of focus, since Zak was the main subject of the picture, but she was there, looking right at Zak.

"Billy! Come here!" I said.

I really was in shock by this. Twice now, I've caught a figure behind Zak in pictures. Was it coincidence, or was something following him?  
Billy scooted out of his chair and came to sit beside me.

"What's up?" he asked.

I zoomed out enough where Zak was visible on the screen. I pointed to the figure in the background.

"Do you see that?" I asked.

Billy leaned over and squinted. When he spotted it, his eyes bugged out.

"Shit, girl! That's a damn good shot of an apparition you have there! Geez, Mikey! What if the whole shot had been in focus? You'd never be able to tell if that was a ghost or not," he said.

"I know. Billy, this is the second time this has happened! Back at the railroad, I had three pictures of Zak with a figure behind him. And they were solo shots," I said.

Billy looked intrigued.

"Really now? Show me," he said.

I minimized the current picture and brought up the clearest picture of Zak standing near a steam engine. I had to zoom in pretty far, but the white blob in the background was visible.

"Whoa! Hey, can you do a side-by-side comparison real quick?"

I moved the shot of the blob to one side of the screen and brought back the sidewalk shot.

"Zoom in on both apparitions. See if you can match the sizes," Billy said.

I did as I was told. I didn't understand why Billy was having me do this until I got the shots to almost perfectly match.

"Look. They're in the same shape!" Billy said, pointing from the blob-like apparition and then to the clearer one, "Michael, I think they're the same person."

I looked closely and noticed that they were indeed the same shape. I could trace the outline with a pen and almost match them perfectly.

"What the hell?" I asked.

I looked up at Billy. He was giving me this "I told you so" look.

"Something is following him. You said it only showed up in his pictures, right?"

I nodded. Billy sighed and looked back at the screen.

"We need to show these to him in the morning. He may have a better explanation," he said.

"Why the hell would this ghost be following him?" I asked.

Billy shrugged.

"That's a mystery we're going to have to save for another time to solve," he said.

He stood back to his feet to rejoin Jay at the monitors. I looked back at the screen and stared at the ghostly woman.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Xxx  
Back at lockdown time

"You guys ready?" Zak asked.

Nick and Aaron replied with a "Yup" and a "Mhmm." Zak threw open the Rectory's front door. He stepped up onto the top step and was just about go into the building when the door slammed in his face. Zak was hit with not only a cold blast of wind from the door, but a chilling sensation that passed through him, leaving goosebumps erupting all over his arms.

"What the fuck?" Zak asked.

He looked worriedly at Aaron and Nick.

"What just happened?" Nick asked.

"I don't know! The fucking door just slammed in my face! Did you get that? Were you rolling?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, bro," Nick replied.

Zak breathed heavily and shivered.

"Something doesn't want us going in there, bro," Aaron said.

"You're telling me," Zak said, "Look at my arms. Something went right through me. It was like someone was shutting the door and walking down the steps to leave. Did you guys feel that?"

Nick and Aaron shook their heads.

"No, bro," Nick said.

Zak exhaled, his chest and shoulders heaving. He felt shaken from the sudden presence that had immediately made itself known. He also felt energized, and he couldn't wait to get inside-that was, if the spirit would let him.  
Zak gripped the door handle and yanked on it. The door was unlocked, as it should be, but the door wouldn't budge. Zak pushed in several times. He resorted to slamming his shoulder into the door. The door give way just slightly before pushing back.

"Why won't it open?" Nick asked.

"It's like someone's pushing against it," Zak said.

He was preparing to kick the door down, even though he didn't want to damage it.

"Let us in right now!" Zak commanded.

Zak pulled down the door handle and the door opened with ease.

"Okay, get in. Get in," Zak said.

Aaron and Nick scrambled through the doorway and watched as Zak shut the door behind them.

"That was so weird," Aaron said.

Zak nodded and looked back at the door.

"Let's hope we don't have that much trouble when we decide to leave," Zak said.

Nick and Aaron nodded in agreement. Zak waved them over, gesturing for his co-investigators to follow.

"Let's get started, guys."

Xxx  
5:00 A.M.

"So right now, we're just finishing up our investigation. We haven't had any evidence whatsoever since we stepped through the door," Zak said to Nick's camera.

"Thankfully," Nick added.

Zak smiled.

"This is the only location that I'm glad we never receive much evidence from," Zak said.

Aaron laughed.

"Sometimes it's okay to fail," he said.

Zak and Nick laughed at that.

"But really, none of us have experienced anything since the incident with the door. We haven't captured any EVPs, any shadows or orbs. This place is dead," Zak said.

"I still think that whatever was here stepped out for the night," Aaron said jokingly.

Nick looked over at Aaron and grinned.

"What's our last spot?" Nick asked.

Zak turned to face the door to a room he had already been in.

"You two are going to go down the hall to the room where Aaron saw that shadow figure last time we were here. That's also the room that Billy felt all that electricity in," he replied.

Nick and Aaron nodded.

"I'm going to do an EVP session in this room behind me," Zak said into the cameras, "This is the room where the priest was said to abuse little kids."

The guys split up. Nick and Aaron went down the hall and into the other room. Zak turned to walk into the room he and Michael had taken pictures in. He was startled when the door slammed in his face.

"What the hell?" Zak shouted, frustrated now.

Aaron and Nick shot back out of their room.

"What's wrong, g?" Aaron asked.

"What the hell was that?" Nick exclaimed.

Zak gritted his teeth.

"Alright!" he said loudly, "I'm getting tired of this little door game. It's childish. Let me in this damn room!"

Zak twisted the door knob and pushed as hard as he could against the door-the soles of his shoes skidding across the floor as he pushed. His arms grew goosebumps once again and in his ear, he heard a voice whisper "Don't."

"Oh, holy shit!" Zak breathed out.

"What?" Nick asked.

"Did you guys-"

Zak was interrupted by another whisper.

"_No_."

Zak's eye widened in fear.

"Are you guys hearing this?" Zak asked.

"Hearing what?" Nick and Aaron asked in unison.

Zak's heart began to pound. He could hear the blood racing through his ears. He knew he had to get into this room the ghosts were keeping him out of.  
Zak took the door knob into his hand and slammed the door open. He fell through when it immediately gave way. When he regained his balance and looked up, he immediately regretted it.

Xxx  
6:00 AM

I had had a bad feeling about Sedamsville Rectory since we first arrived, and now I knew why. I could feel the darkness arise when the boys were unlocked and released. I could see it when Zak approached. It was a slow-motion process. I opened the van's sliding side door and cleared a seat. Nick wouldn't look at me. Aaron glanced up at me and shook his head, indicating that this had been a rough one. Zak was struggling to keep conscious on his feet. His eyes would slowly close and he would have to force them back open. Every step he took had him in near anguish.  
I stood at the edge of the door, holding firmly to the side of the door. I planted my feet, spreading my legs and bending the knees to ensure perfect balance for what I was preparing my body to do. When Zak came into arms reach, I knelt over and gripped the back of his bicep. With all of my strength, I pulled his heavy body up into the van. He nearly went dead-weight on me. He made little effort to move as I helped him in. He took only two small steps in the van before he collapsed heavily onto the seat, breathing heavily and rocking the van. He was exhausted from the lockdown and more drained than I had ever witnessed.  
I glanced out the door at Billy, who had come over to shut the door for me. We had prepared this time. When Billy saw Zak, he shook his head. We had hoped and prayed that this lockdown would be easy on him, but the paranormal world had it out for him.  
Billy shut the door. I climbed around the seats and grabbed a blanket off the top of a cooler in the back. I came back around to where Zak's tired body was laying and draped it over him. Billy started the van up and put it in gear. I reached over and picked up one of Zak's feet and slid off his Supras. I did my best to make him more comfortable.

"Mikey," he whimpered.

I crouched down in front of him. He looked like he was in severe pain. He reached out from under the blanket and took one of my hands. His skin was near frozen. I cupped my other hand over his and watched his face. His tanned skin was pale and tiny wrinkles had been forming out from under his eyes from the stress. He looked terrible for someone who always took care of themselves.  
I ran my a hand up his forehead and stroked the backs of my fingers down his temple and across his cheek.

"Mikey, I wanna go home," he said, his voice just above a whisper.

He had tears in his eyes. Whatever had happened in there had really torn him up.

"I just wanna go home," he begged.

I leaned down and pressed my forehead against his.

"We are, baby boy. We're going home. Go to sleep, now," I said.

I sat there in the floorboard of the van stroking his cheek and holding his hand tightly as I felt it slowly warm up. He eventually fell asleep. Things had been like this for awhile now. The last two lockdowns had been plagued with dark energies, and the back to back investigations had taken their toll on Zak. The stress was causing his true age to begin to show.

"What happened this time?" I asked out loud for someone to answer.

Aaron turned in his seat and looked on worriedly at his friend.

"They really let him have it this time," he said.

"He didn't even have to provoke them. They came to him," Nick spoke up from the seat behind Zak.

"He didn't do anything the last time either," Aaron said defensively.

I sighed and combed my fingers through Zak's hair.

"What did they do to him?" I asked.

I heard Aaron heavily exhale.

"They beat the hell out of him," came his quiet reply.

I let out a breath I had not realized I had been holding. I let my forehead press against Zak's as I put one arm around his head and draped the other up over his shoulder.

"Why can't they leave him alone?" I asked.

Sure, Zak knowingly pissed off evil spirits, but he understood the probable consequences. I just wished they would stay where they belonged. Why would they make it their goal in the afterlife to haunt him? Why Zak? Was there something about him that attracted them, or were they just that bored?

"Did they possess him?" I asked.

I really didn't want to hear the answer. Aaron exhaled loudly through his nose.

"Yeah," he said sadly, "That reminds me, do we have any anointing oil left?"

I heard Nick move and I was soon handed a vial of oil. I had no idea how to use it.

"Hand it to me," Zak croaked out.

I placed the vial in his hands and watched carefully as he anointed himself. I needed to learn how to do this. When he was finished, he had me hand the vial to Aaron so he could anoint himself.

"Feel better?" I asked.

"Yeah. I did feel a little better when I left the building, but when I saw you, it was gone," he said.

"Hmm," I hummed.

That just sounded weird to me.

"I'm sure the oil helps, though. Just stay with me, okay?"

I nodded.

"I won't leave you," I promised.

I took his hands and held them tightly. Zak nodded, his eyes fluttering closed. He needed sleep. As he laid his head down, I noticed a bruise forming on his neck. I reached a hand up and lightly traced it.

"What have they done to you?" I whispered.

Zak opened his eyes. They were bloody shot and watery. I squeezed his hand and kissed his cheek.

"I'll be okay," he whispered.

I bit my lip. I hated seeing him like this. He was such a strong person. Seeing him broken down and helpless hurt.

"As long as your with me," he said, "I can feel the darkness fading faster now."

I smiled at him, causing him to return it.

"Go to sleep now, sweetheart. We'll be home soon," I said.

I sat in the floor and stroked his cheek until he fell asleep.


	6. Good vs Evil

I expected the following days to be hard. I had a feeling Zak would distance himself from me for my own good. Any dark residue or possible attachments could easily latch themselves onto me, and neither of us wanted that. Attachments that were protective of Zak were known to attack the people closest to him, and he had told me any girlfriend he brought over was in for it. For a long time, he wouldn't even let his mom come over for fearing of her getting hurt. After his hauntings stopped and I came along, he said there wasn't anything to worry about. However, things stick with you after the trauma like what he went through. He said he spent three weeks with whatever had fucked with him on Poveglia Island in Italy and several days with whatever had possessed him at Castle Poenari. I, luckily, had never had anything stick with me after dark encounters, but that didn't mean his could attack me. One had, after all, marked me with a gift that was originally for Zak's own use. I had use every precaution.  
However, Zak showed little to no signs of anything staying with him. In fact, he nearly clung to me and followed me around the house like a lost puppy. I spent a lot of time with him that first day home. He was seeking comfort and craving closure, and I did my best to keep him in good spirits. He was sore and mentally tortured from what happened. He acted pretty normal, which I thought was a little strange. I figured if anything, he would be uncommonly quiet or just stay away from the house. But he acted fine around me. He was the same sweet, loving person he always was. I decided that it was probably the aid of the church's blessing, the holy oil, and the necklace he kept on him that protected him from any after affects. Thank goodness!  
I kept a close eye on him that first day. It wasn't hard, since I barely got any time to myself. I laid on the couch with him and watched movies. We made lunch together and played with the dogs together. He would lay his head in my lap and doze off to my massaging and lightly scratching his scalp with my fingers. I paid no mind to it. I loved being the one drowning him in attention, instead of the other way around. Seeing him happy and relaxed was rewarding after the condition I saw him in before. I knew that my help was working. Besides, he would have done the same for me in a heartbeat.  
That night, I asked him why he was being so clingy. I had not had a single moment to myself since breakfast, other than going to the bathroom, and there were some things I wanted or needed to go do, but he followed me. It's not that I didn't love the attention or wanted to be around him, but a girl needs her space. Usually, it was me seeking him out for attention, since some days he would isolate himself in the office and work all day. I had things I wanted to do to, but Zak would be looming over my shoulder or jabbering on (my God, that boy could talk!) and I couldn't focus. He was not quite, but getting to the point where his presence was grinding on my nerves and I had to finally sit him down and see what was going on. However, I waited until the perfect moment where it wouldn't come off that I was annoyed. I wasn't (not yet, anyways), but I feared he would take my question the wrong way if it wasn't asked in the right tone at the most opportune moment. It was like hunting down a ghost. You had to wait for conditions to be perfect, or optimum.  
I was in the kitchen getting ready to give Ernie his medication for his joints. The poor dog. He was almost eleven years old, closing in on the highest age most bassets achieve. However, I think that he was in pretty good health, other than his weight. He had actually lost quite a bit since we moved in with Zak. Gracie kept him active. Who knows? She may be saving his life-or at best, prolonging it. He had no noticeable trouble with moving, but I kept him on a joint supplement just as a prevention treatment. He was a pure breed, and if purebred dogs aren't given special treatment, they could easily develop all sorts of health issues and die faster. Basset hounds were shaped wrong anyways, and I knew Ernie would quickly develop problems, so I was always looking for ways to keep him in top condition. So far, it seemed to be working. I just wished there was a cure for the hard-headedness-for dogs and humans.  
As I rolled up Ernie's pill in a piece of bologna, I felt arms wrap around my waist and a face nuzzle into my neck. I immediately got goosebumps and my insides, stemming from my stomach and into my chest, went warm and fuzzy. I went to mush and smiled as Zak kissed my neck. I traveled to a different mindset when he did this. I went from focused with the particular goal of stuffing meds down Ernie's throat, to Candy Land. His muscular, tattooed arms held my back flush against his hard chest and his hands wrapped back around my sides.

"Hello, there," I said lowly.

"Whatcha doin'?" he asked curiously.

"Well, I _was_ about to give Ernie his medicine," I said.

I clenched the bologna in my hand and turned around in his arms.

"What is with you today? You're being so affectionate," I said.

Ernie padded up and pressed his nose into my leg. I fed him his hidden meds as I watched Zak carefully. He frowned. Dammit.

"I'm annoying you, aren't I?" he asked.

"No! No, you're not! I was just wondering," I said.

I pushed a smile onto my face for good measure. I really didn't want him feeling bad. If he wanted to be around me and it made him feel better, then he could. I didn't want to push him away.  
Zak let his arms fall and he walked back around the island.

"You wanna know?" he asked.

I followed him as he made his way out of the kitchen.

"Yes, I wanna know," I said.

Zak walked around to the couch where we had spent the entire morning. He sat down and looked up at me. I stood in front of him with my arms crossed. He broke my arms apart and held my hands.

"The darkness is going away on it's own, but when you're near me, I don't feel it at all," he said.

I tilted my head to the side. He had told me a long time ago that the darkness in the house was relieved when I was around.

"I just need my light around. You know, to guide me back out," he said.

I smiled and shook my head.

"Sometimes, I wonder if you should have been a poet rather than a paranormal investigator," I said jokingly.

Zak laughed and kissed my knuckles.

"Maybe when and if I decide to retire," he said, a smile replacing his frown.

I walked around his legs and sat down beside him. Zak wrapped his arms around me and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Why am I your light, Zak?" I asked curiously.

I glanced up to see him looking down at me. His facial features held this sweet, loving expression. It was hard to imagine that anyone would dare to hurt him, and even harder to swallow that he had experienced even worse and could still be the kindhearted person that he was.

"Because you make me happy," he replied softly.

He leaned down and pressed his lips to my cheek. That was a no brainer, I guess, but I was still curious.

"But how, though? What is it about me that keeps the darkness away?" I asked.

Zak cupped my cheek, blue eyes boring straight through mine. It was as if he was trying to place himself in my mind in a mental sense. I felt weird, as if I was being tapped into, if that makes any sense.

"I don't know," he said slowly.

He broke his intense stare, the loving look returning. He lightly stroked my cheek with his thumb.

"I'm not the most optimistic person in the world. I don't have any special gifts. I don't understand," I went on.

Then again, maybe it was something I wasn't supposed to understand.

"I don't think that necessarily matters. Something about you repels the darkness-the darkness that surrounds me. Who knows? Maybe you're made out of angel dust or something," he said.

I laughed at that.

"I don't think so," I said.

Zak chuckled.

"Even so, I think there is a reason you repel this stuff. I don't know if it's fate, spiritual, or just a coincidence, but I think you are in my life for a reason. I know it sounds strange, but I think you are in my life to save me from the dark energies. Like a guardian angel or something. I don't know," he said.

I wrinkled my nose in confusion.

"Or at least, I'd like to think you are," he added.

I smiled at him. Whether or not my purpose in life was to protect him was unclear, but I was sure as hell about to make it my objective for him.  
I reached up and kissed him.

"Thank-you."

Zak wrapped his arms tightly around me.

"You're welcome, sweetie," he said.

The next day, Zak was not as clingy as he was before. He held me close to him all night, and we came around often during the day, but I was able to get time to myself, which was a relief not only for my personal space but also for him. He was able to with himself, which was a good sign.  
I had spent the day finishing up my office/girl cave and I did some cleaning around the house. The place was always immaculate, but I needed busy work and I never minded digging out the furniture polish and the Windex. I cleaned the living room and the kitchen, organized my office, then played the Xbox until dinner time. After dinner, Zak had disappeared into the man cave. I was on my laptop in the living room, simultaneously watching the TV as I loomed around on Twitter. I could hear the faint sound of pool balls clacking against themselves, telling me that Zak was unwinding and playing. I could hear Gracie's nails clacking against the floor and Zak laughing at her. I smiled.  
It had been a pretty good day today. Zak was in high spirits, and I got the rest of my work accomplished. I spoke on the phone with Nikki for a while, which put me in a good mood. Tomorrow, Aaron was coming over to help me with photos. I had planned on showing him the photo of Zak and the mysterious figure that resembled a woman. I hadn't told Zak about the picture yet. I wanted Aaron's thoughts first.  
I was deep into YouTube, watching a video when I heard Zak's voice, making me jump.

"Gracie!" I heard him shout.

I looked towards the hallway, narrowing my eyes. I was caught off guard by this. He never yelled at that dog ever. She must have done something really bad this time.  
I was slowly going back to my video when I didn't hear anything, but a sharp "Yip!" and the sound of something being thrown caught my attention. I looked up to see Gracie running into the living room. She ran straight up to me, jumped onto the couch, and curled up against me. Her large brown eyes held fear I had never seen before. She was also shivering, which was alarming. That dog was fearless anyways, and she never ran to me. She always ran to Zak. So, what the hell was going on?  
Ernie stood up and growled. I looked down to see him looking at the entrance to the hallway. This dog never growled. The only time I had ever heard him growl was when he had cornered a skunk in the backyard at The Hollow once, but he was a lot younger then. He was never aggressive. Something must have been going down for the dogs to be acting weird.  
I stood up and walked around Ernie to look at him. His long nose was wrinkled, his eyes were full of anger, and his teeth were showing. The little hound looked terrifying. I looked back down the hall. I couldn't hear anything now.

"Sick 'em, Ern," I whispered.

I wasn't sure what the hell was going on, but I was sure as shit not going without one of the dogs.  
Ernie growled and obeyed the command. I followed him down the hall. It was dim, but the man cave door was open and light was coming out. All over the floor was shattered pieces of something that looked like a rock or ceramic. As Ernie led the way to the cave, I heard Zak let out a loud cry of aggravation.

"Zak?" I called.

Ernie walked into the light and peaked into the doorway. He barked and turned his long body around to face inside. His teeth were showing in a menacing grin and he let out these long, loud, almost unholy growls. He was ready to attack whatever or whoever.

"Fuck off!" Zak all but screamed at Ernie.

I walked behind Ernie and looked in. Zak was standing, looking absolutely threatening just by the way he was posed. His shoulders were hunched up. He reminded me of a pit bull or a football player ready to attack. His eyes were wild looking, his nose was wrinkled, and his lip was curled. It suddenly occurred to me that this wasn't Zak that I was looking at.

"Shit," I hissed to myself.

I looked down briefly to see that what he had apparently thrown at Gracie was the 8 ball. It was shattered everywhere. Thinking quickly and putting up my mental defense that Zak had taught me to use, I stepped between Zak and Ernie to protect my dog.  
I clapped my hands loudly as I stepped through the doorway.

"ZAK!" I snapped.

Zak looked up at me. His face immediately changed and his hands flew to his eyes. He rubbed them and his face as he turned away from me.

"What the fuck is going on? Did you fucking throw a ball at Gracie?"

I could feel the negative energy in the air, but it faded more and more as I stepped closer to him.

"I don't know. I don't know what happened. One minute I was playing with her and then I just felt this aggression. AGH!"

Zak walked back over to the pool table and propped his hands on it. I walked up to him and turned him to face me.

"I can't believe I fucking did that!" he exclaimed.

And then he just broke down. I pulled him into a hug. He buried his face into my hair and tried to suppress his crying. I rubbed his back in small circles and kept telling him over and over that he was okay and that everything was alright.

"It's just after affects from the other night, I'm sure," I said, trying to be positive and comforting.

Zak just nodded. He backed away and wiped his eyes.

"Yeah. It's common after possession. Is Gracie okay?" he asked.

I took his hand.

"She was just shaken. Come on. Go apologize," I said.

Zak let me led him out the door.

"Oh my God, Mikey! Did I really shatter that?" he asked.

I turned and looked down at the destroyed ball and nodded.

"Shit," he hissed.

We walked into the living room, but Gracie was no where to be found. Zak walked ahead of me and crouched down. He whistled, but she didn't come.

"Grace? Gracie, come here, sweetie," Zak said softly.

Gracie showed herself, peeking out from under the end table by the couch. Her ears were back and she was shaking. She whimpered when she spotted Zak.

"Gracie, come here. I'm not going to hurt you," Zak pleaded.

Gracie slowly got up and took tentative steps toward her master. It was obvious she didn't trust him, and Zak knew it. The look of hurt on his face told it all. He slowly raised his hand up so she could sniff his fingers and he could regain her trust.  
Gracie slowly approached and sniffed his hand. She was close enough to pet, but when Zak moved his hand, she yipped and ran off. Zak let his hand drop in defeat. He hung his head for a moment before he glanced up at me.

"What if that had been you?" he asked.

I was shocked by this. I looked over at Gracie, who had run to hide in the kitchen. I got down on my knees in front of him and took his tear-stained face in my hands.

"Listen to me. I can't tell you that that didn't scare the shit out of me, but I'm not going to run. We're in this together, okay?"

Zak looked down and nodded. It broke my heart seeing him like this.

"You taught me to be brave and not to run, and that's just what I'm going to do. I'm going to stand my ground, face this head on, and do everything in my power to help you. The spirits have me to deal with now," I said.

Zak looked up at me and cracked a smile. He pulled me into a hug.

"You hear that, spirits? Now you guys have my wife to answer to!" Zak called out to the silent house, "Worst threat ever."

I just giggled at him. Zak looked at me lovingly and smiled.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too," I said.

Zak stood up and took my hands, hauling me back up to stand with him.

"Let's tango with these motherfuckers," Zak said, newfound confidence in his voice.

"Right behind you," I said.

Xxx

I groaned when I woke up the next morning. My clock read exactly five o' clock when I rolled over. I felt like I hadn't gotten any sleep at all. Zak and I had stayed up until just a little over one in the morning. We usually stayed up late anyways, but I wanted to stay up and make sure he didn't have another episode. Thankfully, he was fine.  
I looked over at him to see that he had managed to wriggle almost sideways on the bed. He was laying face down, as usual, and when he usually managed to somehow get sideways and almost hang off of the bed. I thought it was funny. I was ready for the day where he would actually fall off the bed. I would feel bad for him, but I would more than likely die laughing.  
I slipped out of the bed to head down the hall to use the bathroom. When I looked at Zak, he had his face smashed into mattress. I snorted and shook my head. If I had known where I had place my phone, I would have taken a picture.  
After my trip to the bathroom, I shuffled back to bed to catch some sleep before I had to get up and get dressed. I had a long day of work ahead of me. I shuffled back into the room and shut the door. Zak had straightened himself back up and pulled the covers back up. I paid no mind as I sat down on my side of the bed and stuffed myself back under the comforter and my own blanket. I was going to roll over and go back to sleep when Zak rolled over, a heavy arm landing on my stomach. I turned my head to see that he was sound asleep. I smiled and pulled his arm back off of me. I couldn't sleep on my back anyways. I shifted onto my right side to face him.  
Zak's face wasn't as peaceful as it had been before I left-although he very rarely slept in peace anyways. He normally slept between one to about now and was up again. I hoped he slept a little bit longer today. I wouldn't have minded if he slept until noon. He needed the rest. Even in sleep, his eyebrows were furrowed, his forehead wrinkling with them and a deep frown upon his lips. I wondered if maybe I should wake him before he had a nightmare. I also wondered if maybe I should touch him and see if he relaxes. Did his theory work when he slept? I could try, I suppose.  
Just as I was about to pull a hand out from under the covers, Zak's eyes snapped open. He gasped and twisted over onto his stomach. He brought both of his arms under him, his fists clenched. His back arched up into the air and his gritted his teeth in pain. I sat up and touched his shoulder. He let out a gasp and his back fell. He turned to me with watery eyes.

"Ah! Goddamn that hurts," he breathed out.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Something. I don't-ow! Fuck!" Zak shouted.

He coiled into a ball. I could see the muscles in his back and arms tense and knot up visibly under his skin.

"You remember when Springfield possessed you? And you had all of those muscle spasms?" he asked.

I nodded.

"That was his spirit leaving you and I think that's what's going on right now. The rest of that energy is leaving and it," Zak was interrupted as another wave hit him, "hurts like a bitch."

I sighed and moved up onto my knees.

"Here," I said, taking his shoulder, "Roll onto your back."

"Mikey, it hurts," he said as he gritted his teeth.

"Just do it," I said.

Zak winced as he let me roll him over on his back. He leaned his head back into the pillow as he waited for the pain to subside.

"Better?" I asked.

He nodded.

"A bit," he replied.

He opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"Where does it hurt?" I asked.

Zak raised an arm and tapped on his shoulders.

"All in my shoulders and my neck. My legs too, but not as bad," he said.

I nodded. I reached up and began to rub the knots out of his shoulders. He tensed at first, but as he let me continue, he began to relax.

"Are you sure you didn't just sleep wrong? When I got up, you were twisted over sideways," I said.

Zak grunted.

"I don't know. I always sleep like that. This has never happened before," he said.

Zak sat up and let me get behind him so I could work on his back.

"Oh God," he groaned.

"Hurt?" I asked.

"Yeah, if you do it too hard. The pain is going away though," he replied.

I lightly rubbed my fingers against the cable-like muscles. I could literally see them unwind and disappear. If it were me, I would say it was one hell of a Charlie Horse from sleeping funky.

"That feels a lot better, sweetie. Thank-you," he said after a few minutes.

I crawled back around him and kissed his cheek.

"I still think it was because you slept wrong," I insisted.

Zak reached a hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it.

"No. I was having a weird dream before I woke up. It may have had something to do with last night. I don't know," he said.

I sighed and looked down at my hands in my lap. I wished there was something I could do for him to make a significant difference. I hated seeing this shit happen to him.

"Hey," Zak said softly.

He gently tilted my chin up with his fingertips.

"I'm okay. There's nothing for you to worry about," he said, trying to be reassuring.

I nodded silently.

"And who knows? You may be right and I'm just overreacting," he went on.

Yeah, there was that.

"You do have a habit of doing that," I said jokingly.

Zak smiled and took my hand.

"Why don't you go walk out your muscles before you go back to sleep?" I suggested, "I'm sure Gracie needs out."

Zak's face fell at the mentioning of his dog's name.

"Zak, dogs can learn to trust and forgive just like humans. It's better to do it now than wait until she hates you," I said.

He nodded.

"I guess I could. It would make me feel a little better," he said.

"I can make you something to drink really quick," I suggested.

Zak shook his head.

"You go back to sleep, Mikes. I'll be back later," he said.

Zak cupped my cheek and kissed my forehead before getting up. I reluctantly laid back down and watched as he slipped on a t-shirt he had nonchalantly tossed in the floor the night before. The room was dim, but as he opened the door and the faint light from outside caught his skin, I could spot fading bruises the size of my fist.

"God," I whispered.

I really wanted to send the network an angry e-mail.

Xxx

Zak never came back to bed. I had caught about another hour of sleep before I got up and around. It didn't surprise me that he didn't return, but I had kind of wished he had so I would know for sure that he was okay.  
When I came downstairs around 8:00, I found Zak outside with the dogs playing fetch. Gracie didn't seem too scared around him, and Ernie was far from aggressive with him. That made me smile. When Zak came back in and announced that he was going to go shower, I went into the kitchen and decided to make him breakfast before Aaron came over. I never made breakfast unless it was biscuits or toast or something. I didn't like it and was never really hungry until lunch time, but Zak always had something and I decided to be nice and surprise him. No, I can't cook all that great, but I try.  
So, remembering all the little secrets I learned from watching Paula Deen and a quick ridiculous texting session with Nikki, I was able to make scrambled eggs on the stovetop with sausage and bacon. I was even lucky enough to find a packet of instant gravy hidden behind the seasonings. Instant was easy, and I soon had his plate made up with a glass of tea waiting for him. I'm a sorry excuse for a cook, so I hoped he wasn't disappointed.  
The kitchen itself was a train wreck, so I had to hurry and clean it up before Zak came back down. He caught me just in time to throw a pan into the dishwasher. He immediately found his plate waiting for him on the bar.

"What is this?" he asked, sounding excited.

I started the dishwasher and turned to face him.

"I thought you deserved something special," I said.

Zak picked up his plate and smiled at me.

"You never cook anything this fancy," he pointed out.

I walked over to him and looked at his plate, cringing.

"That's probably for good reason," I said.

Zak laughed and kissed the top of my head. I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up being dog food. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the dogs refused to eat it!

"Thank-you, sweetie," he said.

Zak sat down at the bar and dug in while I hunted for the milk in the refrigerator.

"What did you have planned for today?" he asked curiously.

I got the chocolate syrup out of the fridge and turned to squirt the stuff into my glass of milk.

"Aaron's coming over here in a little bit. We have photos to go over and stuff. Why?" I asked.

Zak forked his eggs and stuffed them into his mouth. I squeezed a ton of chocolate into my glass, making the bottle fart a few times before I was satisfied.

"Well, I had this big, elaborate day planned, but I don't think I can do it. I'm too tired," he said.

I put the syrup away and looked over at him.

"What for?" I asked.

Zak glanced up at me.

"Michael!"

I looked at him as if to say "What?"

"It's Valentine's Day, babe," he said.

I felt my eyes widen. Not believing him, I picked up my phone and opened my calendar. Sure enough, today was February 14th.

"Ah, shit!"

Zak laughed and went back to his food.

"Good thing you didn't want anything, because I didn't even think about it," I said.

Really, though, I am a sorry ass excuse for a wife. What kind of wife can't cook worth a damn and forgets Valentine's Day? I mean, I'm not your stereotypical housewife (no where close!), but seriously?

"It's alright, Mikey. Don't worry about it. I was going to get you something today but I just don't have the energy."

He looked up, absently staring at the window.

"I guess that's kind of lame of me," he said.

"Zak, it's okay. How about we just skip this one and make up for it next year?" I suggested.

Zak nodded.

"I like that idea. But, I'm still going to do at least something romantic for you today," he said.

I walked around the bar and slipped my arms around him, perching my chin on his shoulder.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked suggestively.

Zak just winked at me and finished up his breakfast.

"How's your eggs?" I asked.

I pulled out a barstool and sat down beside him.

"Honestly, they're pretty good," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're kidding," I said flatly.

Zak smirked.

"I heard you on the phone with Nikola," he admitted.

I growled in aggravation. I had maybe gotten a little loud, but Nikki was being difficult and confusing me on purpose.  
Zak reached a hand out and ruffled my hair. He slid from the stool and kissed the top of my head.

"It was delicious. Thank-you," he said.

I half-smiled and sighed as I scrolled through my emails on my phone. At least they weren't atrocious.  
I heard the faint sound of a car outside. Ernie came barreling into the kitchen, howling and sounding the alarm. Zak laughed at him.

"If were ever have burglars, we'll know, won't we?" Zak asked.

"_BUHROOOOOH_!"

I shook my head and laughed. I opened the door to the garage and pressed the remote to open the door. Aaron was just getting out his his little SUV and walking in.

"Hey, bro," I greeted cheerfully.

Aaron looked up at me and smiled. I felt a renewed energy and happiness as Aaron approached. After all that had been going on, I think both me, and Zak as well, could use a smiling face like Aaron around. He always brightened our day.  
I let Aaron in and closed the door for him. Ernie and Gracie came running up to greet Aaron. Aaron leaned down to pet them before straightening and greeting Zak. He then turned to me.

"What did you burn in here, Mikey?" he asked teasingly.

I playfully scoffed.

"Why do you immediately assume that it was me?" I asked, laughing.

"Aaron, leave her alone. She burnt a little bit of the eggs, looks like," Zak said as he picked up the skillet I had left to soak in the sink.

"At least I didn't burn the whole thing. I gave you all the unburnt eggs," I said defensively.

Aaron draped an arm around my shoulders.

"Well, where's my eggs?" Aaron asked jokingly.

I looked up at him, my mouth opened in surprise.

"You never eat breakfast!" I exclaimed.

Aaron grinned and laughed.

"I know. I'm just messing with you. C'mon. Let's go get to work," he said.

"Have fun!" Zak called to us as we walked down the hall to my office, Ernie at our heels.

Aaron and I walked in and settled down at the desk. Aaron was looking around at my decorations and the new coat of gray paint on the walls.

"Boy, you've been working hard on this room," Aaron commented.

I sat down at my computer and logged in.

"Oh, I know! I finally got a chance yesterday to work on it," I said.

Aaron pulled up a chair and sat down beside me.

"How has Zak been?" he asked, his tone lowering.

I sighed as I sifted through papers in search of the memory card that had the Rectory photos on it.

"The first day was a little weird. He was really...clingy," I said quietly so Zak wouldn't hear.

I had left the door open to listen to him.

"Really?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah," I replied, "Yesterday he was better, but he had a really rough night last night and this morning. That's why I made him breakfast and all-make him feel better."

Aaron leaned over to me. I saw the deep worry in his brown eyes.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

I opened up the photos and sighed. I let go of the mouse and turned to Aaron.

"He was in the man cave playing pool with Gracie and having a good time. I could hear him talking and laughing at her. Then, all of a sudden, I hear this crash and Gracie comes hauling ass through the kitchen and jumps straight onto the couch with me. Ernie started growling, which he never does. So, I followed him down the hall and found Zak standing in the middle of the cave. He had thrown a pool ball. It was shattered everywhere!"

"Why did he throw a ball?"

"He was-I don't know. He says it was just aggression from the possession, but I don't know," I replied.

Aaron sat back and groaned.

"Ah man! Mikey, you should have called me. What if he got aggressive towards you?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"I guess it would be too late to call you, then?" I asked sarcastically.

"Mikey, I'm serious!"

"Well, I was fine. Right when I walked in, it went away," I said.

Aaron cut his eyes at me.

"Are you sure he's okay? What if he's still not safe to be around?" Aaron asked.

"He's getting better. We're trying to fight this, Aaron. I'm not going to let him do this alone. Not again," I said, perhaps being a bit stubborn.

"That's the best way to do it, I guess. None of the dark energy is rubbing off on you, is it?"

I shook my head.

"I feel fine," I said.

Aaron nodded.

"That's good. That's good," he said.

We were silent for a moment as I opened the first couple of pictures to go through. We didn't notice anything as we analyzed the photos.

"Did you say he had a round of it this morning, too?" Aaron asked.

I sighed.

"He thinks his body was reacting to the rest of the darkness finally leaving, but I think it was just a coincidence. He said his muscles in his neck and shoulders were spazzing out like what happened to me back at Lanark. I think it was how he slept. Have you seen him when he sleeps?"

Aaron laughed and let his body go limp, hanging sideways off the chair. I laughed at him.

"Yeah, like that. I think he just slept wrong," I said.

Aaron rightened himself.

"Probably, but Zak is pretty in tune with his body. He can easily debunk whether or not it's a medical thing or supernatural."

I nodded in agreement. Zak knew his body better than I did, so he knew what he was talking about. I still thought it was his sleeping position, however.

"Finding anything yet?" Aaron asked.

I flipped through the last of the photos.

"Nothing," I said.

Aaron sighed, sounding relieved.

"It's sad that we're happy we didn't find anything," Aaron said.

I smiled.

"I know. I was so scared I'd find an appari-oh shit!"

Aaron jumped, his eyes widening in alarm.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"I totally forgot about this. Okay, check this out. I showed this to Billy, but with all that's been going on with Zak, it slipped my mind," I said.

I opened the picture of Zak I had taken outside of the Rectory. Aaron sat forward and looked confused.

"Do you see it?" I asked.

Aaron squinted and scanned over the entire photo. It was like looking for an object in an I Spy game.

"What am I-oh! There's a woman!" Aaron exclaimed, pointing to the screen.

"Yeah! This is the second flipping time this has happened!"

Aaron looked worried.

"Back at the railroad, I caught three pictures of a figure behind Zak. And they were pictures of just him. But those weren't as clear as this one. I thought that perhaps it was a coincidence, and Zak thought that the ones at the railroad were residual."

"They could be," Aaron said.

"But check this out. Billy pointed this out to me," I said.

Just like Billy had asked me to in the van, I opened up the clearest picture and did a side-by-side comparison.

"You see? They're both in the same shape," I said.

Aaron examined the pictures carefully.

"Geez! It sure seems like it," he said.

"Billy thinks something is following Zak," I said quietly, just in case Zak was within earshot.

"I'm starting to wonder, too. Have you shown him this?" Aaron asked.

I shook my head.

"I was getting around to it," I said.

I turned fully around in my chair, facing the open door.

"Hey, Zak!" I called.

"Yeah?" he called back, sounding like he was in the living room.

"Can you come in here for a minute?"

I heard Gracie move through the house, then Zak's footsteps come closer until he entered.

"What is it?" he asked as he stepped in through the door.

"Bro, come check this out," Aaron said excitedly.

I turned around to reface the computer. Zak stepped behind my chair and leaned on its back.

"It seems like you may have a loyal follower from the other side," I said jokingly.

"Huh?" Zak asked, confused.

Aaron and I showed Zak the photo of him and the figure of the woman behind him, then showed him the similar picture with the nearly matching outline.  
Zak turned around, looking over his shoulder at the computer as he tried to match his body with the figures' positions.

"It's almost like she was walking across the sidewalk, then turned slightly to look at me," Zak said.

Aaron and I nodded in agreement.

"We need to show Nick this," Aaron said.

"I'll e-mail it to him later. Zak, what do you think? Do they match?" I asked.

Zak crossed his arms on the top of my chair and leaned against it. His face showed curiosity, but I detected worry underneath.

"They sure seem like they do. At first I thought that maybe it was your reflection, Mikey. She kind of looks like you," he said.

I turned back to the photo and shook my head.

"No, she doesn't. How can you even tell? She's blurry," I said.

"I'm just sayin', Michael," Zak said, "But that is weird how they match."

"Mikes said that Billy thinks it's following you," Aaron told him.

Zak shrugged.

"We'll have to get more evidence," he said, not convinced, "But the question is, if this spirit is following me, why? We haven't been anywhere with claims of a woman."

"Maybe she's a demon," Aaron said.

"A succubus?" Zak asked jokingly, making Aaron and I laugh.

"I doubt any succubus would manifest in a white dress," I said, just joking around.

Zak laughed.

"Yeah. This reminds me of Jerusha. Her dress appeared to me. Remember that, Aaron?" Zak asked.

Aaron nodded.

"And she wasn't bad. Just lonely," he said.

Zak nodded.

"So, I don't think that this figure, if she is following me, is bad," Zak concluded.

I sat back and got to thinking. Every ghost has a reason to follow the living around. The spirits of children (when they were actually children and not demons in disguise) followed around other kids and adults seeking comfort and companionship. The same was with the heartbroken Jerusha, who sought out the company of a man to replace the lover that she lost. Ghosts reach out for a reason and follow for a reason, whether it be for a way to communicate or, in the case of the darker forces, for revenge.

"Maybe," I began.

Zak and Aaron turned their gazes to me as I thought up my hypothesis.

"Perhaps she knows you can speak to her. Maybe she has seen you before and knows you have the technology to hear her," I said to Zak.

Zak nodded.

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking. But like I said, we have to capture more evidence to prove that this is the same ghost following me around. If it is, we can take a night to help her and give her enough closure to maybe cross over," he said.

My eyes drifted back from Zak to the ghost on the screen. I hoped this ghost knew that she could manifest in front of a camera, if she even knew what they were. From the picture I had, it was impossible to tell what era she was from.

"I want to find her," Aaron said.

"Me, too," Zak said, "But we have other things to do. We'll find her again, though."

I kept my eyes on the screen, now way more intrigued to hunt down this figure and speak with her. Why was she following Zak? That is, if she really was? Was she lost? Was she simply lonely and seeking answers? I had to find out!


	7. Loving the Precious

"You keep an eye on him," I said to Aaron as I squeezed out of the garage door to keep Ernie from barreling out.

"I will," Aaron promised as he struggled to keep the hound back with his leg.

"Call me if something happens," I said.

Not like I needed another phone call. I had spent a good hour and a half on the phone with Nick about fifteen minutes after I had sent the photos the guys and I had been comparing. I was half hoping that he would tell me that we were just psyching ourselves out. However, he completely agreed that they were ridiculously similar in shape and he was already excited about doing a side investigation on his woman. He said that we would have time after our next lockdown, so that's what we had our hearts set on. Whether we would set it out for the public eye was up in the air, but nevertheless, we were pumped for it.

"I have everything under control, Mikey. Just hurry back," Aaron said.

I thanked Aaron said goodbye before Ernie could knock him over and run out. Poor puppy. He wanted to go for a ride, but we weren't in the middle of no where anymore, and I didn't feel like stealing Gracie's cover out of Zak's car. Plus, I had a few errands to run and I did not want Ernie barking at people who passed by. Vegas was a whole different world than Arkansas, and even though people back at home did not mind a silly little hound howling his lungs out for attention, people here got scared. So, no ride for Ernie.  
I didn't want to leave the house, but I suddenly remembered after my long talk with Nick that I had my stupid phone bill due today. So, before it ended up being late, I slipped out and headed for the cell phone place. Vegas was huge. The biggest town I had ever drove around whilst knowing my way was Tulsa, Oklahoma. This was, like I said, a completely different world. I knew my way to the nearest grocery store, the cell phone place, the dentist, the strip, Aaron's house and Zak's parents' house, but that was it. I had to use a GPS for everything else, and I hated using that thing. Zak usually drove me. It wasn't that I could not learn the town, for that had been my goal every time I left the house, but Zak loved driving and I got nervous in heavy traffic. So, it is kind of a win-win.  
Later, after paying my phone bill, I walked out of the building and got a call. My heart skipped and began to race. I had told Aaron to call if anything happened, and I hoped it was neither him, nor Zak. Too nervous to even bothering checking the screen, I pressed the Answer button.

"Hello?"

"Michael, sweetie, how are you?" a female voice came through.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I continued my walk to the truck. It was only Zak's mom.

"I'm good. How are you?" I asked, my goody-goody, overly polite mode kicking on.

"Just fine. I was just calling to say Happy Valentine's Day. Do you and Zak have any big plans for tonight?" she asked, sounding hopeful that I had some exciting news.

"Oh no. Not really, I guess," I said as I started my truck, "He apparently had big plans but he had a rough night last night. He's still recovering from the last lockdown."

I heard the sound of a tongue clicking against the back of teeth.

"Oh, that's too bad. He's probably still pretty worn out," she said.

"Mhmm," I replied as I turned back out into the street and headed back home.

"Poor baby," she went on.

"Yeah," I agreed, "But I tried to cheer him up. I made him breakfast this morning. Stupid me forgot that today was Valentine's Day, so I suppose neither of us got the other anything."

Zak's mom laughed.

"Oh, honey, I'm sure he doesn't care. He'll find another way to surprise you, I'm sure," she said.

I laughed and agreed.

"Well, are you busy right now?" she asked.

"I'm just driving back to the house. Aaron is baby-sitting Zak right now," I said.

She laughed at that.

"Well, I have something I think will save the day. In any case, it'll cheer Zak up. Why don't you come by and get it?"

Thank God for this woman!

"Okay. I'll be by in a bit," I said.

"Alright, sweetheart. Drive safe," she said.

We said our goodbyes and hung up. Zak's mom didn't live that far from us, so it was just a quick detour from the way home. I arrived in no time and was greeted with a friendly hug.

"Come in, come in. I have it in the kitchen," she said.

I followed her in. She already had a bouquet of her own and candy galore.

"I made it this morning, so it's all nice and fresh," she said excitedly.

Oh thank goodness! Food!

"You like chocolate, right?" she asked.

I sighed happily.

"I love chocolate," I said.

Zak's mom laughed.

"Okay, well this may put you in a chocolate coma," she said.

I followed her into the kitchen, where on the island sat a huge, glorious chocolate masterpiece. I was already drooling.

"Oh my goodness!" I exclaimed.

Zak's mom laughed.

"Trust me, you'll be saying more than that when you try it," she assured me.

"Or be speechless. I may have to steal the recipe," I said.

And then burn the cake. I may just leave it to the expert.

"Oh, it's easy. You can make it and have it in the oven in about ten minutes. However, I'd rather just make it for you so you can come over."

Zak's mom reached up and kissed me on the cheek.

"I love seeing you guys. I hardly ever see you two anymore."

I laughed.

"We've been filming," I reminded her.

"Oh, I know. I know. Here, take this and put it in the fridge as soon as you get home. Don't let Aaron get into it and tell Zak his mom says he can't have any dessert until after dinner," she said as she put the cover over the cake on the tray and handed it to me.

I had to laugh at that. I didn't plan on letting Zak see it until I was ready to surprise him. However, I knew that was going to be hard, especially if he and Aaron were still in the living room. It was right off the kitchen, and they would surely see me juggling a huge cake in my hands. And even if I did get it to the safety of the refrigerator, I knew better than to think Zak would not stick his finger in the icing-especially if I told him not to get in to it because his mother said so. He would do exactly the opposite just for the hell of it.

"I will and I'll guard it with my life. I can't make any promises, though," I said.

I followed his mom back out of the kitchen and through the house to the front door.

"Do you have any big plans for tonight?" I asked curiously.

Maybe I could steal an idea or two.

"Oh, honey, you know me. We're hitting the casinos tonight," she said excitedly.

I smiled and laughed.

"Well I hope you have fun," I said.

She smiled.

"We will, sweetie," she said, opening the door for me, "You tell Zak I said he needs to call me. I feel like I haven't talked to the boy in a month."

"I will. Thanks for the cake," I said.

We waved and said goodbye. When I sat the cake in the passenger seat and began to leave, the scent of chocolate flew up my nose. If I didn't throw the thing in the fridge soon, I might just devour it in the car.

Xxx

I had successfully managed to sneak the cake in the fridge without Aaron or Zak hearing me and Ernie howling at me. I spotted the dogs outside and I could hear Zak and Aaron talking down the hall. I figured they were in the man cave.  
I had just shut the refrigerator door when I looked up to see Zak leaning against the corner with his arms crossed and a smirk plastered on his face. I nearly jumped out of my skin and screamed.

"Fuck!" I breathed out as I jumped.

Zak smiled, forcing back a laugh.

"You look like you were up to no good," he said accusingly, this gorgeous smirk returning.

I swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths to slow my heart rate before I replied.

"No," I said, trying to sound and look convincing.

"What did you put in the fridge?" he asked.

I tried to think of a good excuse, but the lamest one flew out of my mouth.

"Nothing."

Zak raised an eyebrow at me. He pushed himself from the fridge and reached for the handle. I quickly swatted his hand away.

"No!"

"I knew it!" he said, flashing this brilliant grin that he must have known was turning me into goo.

I sighed in defeat. I can't get away with anything!

"What's in the fridge?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said again.

"Bullshit! Come on, Mikey. Let me see," he said, almost in a whiny, but playful tone.

"No!" I said, "You can't look in the fridge."

"Why not?" he asked, pouting.

He had no idea how freaking adorable he looked!

"Because, it'll ruin your-"

I stopped myself. I was going to say "dinner" but he would immediately know the surprise was from his mom, so I quickly corrected myself before I screwed up.

"-surprise!" I said, flashing a smile.

Zak's pout morphed into a warm smile. He stepped up to me and wrapped his arms around me. I automatically wound my arms around his waist.

"I thought you said we weren't going to get each other anything?" he questioned, again, raising that damn eyebrow.

I sighed.

"It was a spur of the moment thing. It's just a little something, I swear," I explained.

Zak laughed at my flustered explanation.

"I guess that's fair, since Aaron and I ran to pick something up earlier while you were gone," he said.

That was fast!

"What did you pick up?" I asked, using this as my turn to raise an accusing eyebrow.

Zak shrugged and smiled cheekily.

"Nothing special," he replied nonchalantly.

I just smiled and shook my head.

"When shall we exchange these spur of the moment surprises?" Zak asked curiously.

I bit my lip as I thought about it. I thought maybe tonight. Perhaps over dinner? I was tempted to say we should dungeonize them, but as my eyes scanned over the porch door where Gracie and Ernie were waiting patiently to be let in, I had a better idea.

"Hot tub?" I asked.

Zak looked surprised.

"You know," I went on, "later on tonight."

I winked at him. Zak's eyes looked like blue fire, and the little "ooo" sound he made as he gazed down at me had my bones turning flexible.

"Baby, I like the way you think," he said huskily.

I smiled and he leaned down and kissed me passionately. It wasn't long before Aaron reemerged from the hallway. I heard him gag, making Zak and I smile into our kiss.

"I'm going to take this as my cue to go. I have a lot of Big Steppin orders to get mailed out before I have a date, so I'll catch you two later," he said.

Zak and I broke away from each other and looked over at Aaron as he approached the garage door.

"Ooo! Aaron has a date," I said playfully.

Aaron rolled his eyes and smiled.

"Have fun, bro," Zak said.

Aaron opened the door and waved.

"You, too, bro," he said.

When Aaron was gone, Zak looked back down at me.

"Hot tub, huh?"

I smiled and nodded.

"Well, I'll get it ready after dinner. How does that sound?" he asked.

I ran my hands up his chest and around his neck.

"Sounds like we're going to have a pretty good night," I said.

Zak chuckled and kissed me again. Yes, a very good night indeed!

Xxx

"I have no idea where my trunks are," Zak complained as he walked in off the porch and in through the kitchen where I was putting dishes up.

I doubted I would allow him to have them on for very long.

"When did you last where them?" I asked.

"Your house, I think," he replied.

Oh God! Who the hell knows where they are now?

"Well, is the tub ready?" I asked.

"Oh yeah!" he called as he climbed the stairs to go to the bedroom.

"Good. Take your time finding your trunks. I'm going to be out here with your surprise," I called up to him.

"Okay, sweetie!" I heard him call from the bedroom.

I quickly put the last two cups in the cupboard and raced off to the guest bathroom, since it was the closest. I grabbed a handful of towels and ran back into the kitchen. I sat the towels on the bar and dove into the cabinets. I grabbed two plates, two forks, and dug the cake out of the fridge. I could hear Zak upstairs cursing as he pursued his trunks. I tried not to laugh as I cut his slice of cake out of the large circle. When I saw the fudgey, scrumdilliumpcious inside, I was near drooling. That woman sure did know how to bake a cake.  
After taking our cake and the towels out and returning the rest of the cake to the fridge, I ran outside and stripped. Our backyard was completely isolated from the neighbors and the porch was covered, so the only way I was visible was to anyone was if they were inside the house.

"Found 'em!" Zak called.

"Shit!" I hissed to myself, then replied, "Okay, I'm almost ready!"

I threw my pile of clothes over on the patio table with the towels and took our dishes to the tub. There was a wooden ledge around the back and far side of the tub, and I could easily hide the dishes by moving one of Zak's Buddhas and a plant. When they were hidden, I slipped into the hot water. At first, it stung, but as I slipped further in, it became more delightful. I felt like I could melt.  
A noise from the kitchen made me snap out of my trance. I swam to the side closest to the door and pressed myself into the wall so Zak couldn't tell that this was clothing optional.

"Michael, are you ready?" Zak called.

"Yes," I replied.

"Okay, close your eyes for me," he said.

"Ah, come on!" I whined.

"Close 'em!" he ordered.

I laughed.

"Fine," I grumbled, pretending to be actually bummed.

I closed my eyes and listened carefully as I rested my chin on my crossed arms. I heard a metallic clinking sound, the sound of Zak's bare feet tapping across the concrete floor and out onto the porch, and the sound of the door shutting.

"Don't open your eyes, but I have to ask you something," he said, "What made you pick the hot tub?"

I had been eyeballing this thing for awhile. Zak had used it several times after he came home from the gym to relax his muscles. I had always been too busy to join him or get in myself, but that serene look of relaxation on Zak's face when I caught him in here gave me an idea. I knew he was still sore from the last lockdown and probably from this morning's little episode as well, so this was all for him-to unwind.

"You said this is one of your favorite ways to relax, right?" I asked.

Zak cleared his throat.

"Yeah," he replied.

"Well, I know you're in desperate need of some unwinding, and this _is_ kind of romantic, don't you think?"

Zak hummed in approval.

"So, this is my surprise?" he asked.

"Not exactly. What's mine?" I asked.

This was really weird, talking with my eyes closed. I listened to Zak approaching and soon sensed that he was right in front of my face. He made a little grunt and I could hear him breathing. His voice soon came, confirming that he was closer to me.

"I know you don't care for flowers, but open your eyes," he said.

I opened my eyes to see a single red rose and a pair of dark blue eyes peering over it.

"No, but I do like seeing you hold one, gorgeous," I said.

Really, this man could do very little and make it attractive.

"Thank-you, Zak," I said, taking the rose and smelling it.

Zak smiled. He then produced a bottle of champagne and two flutes.

"And I know you don't drink, but I thought we could try," he said.

I smiled.

"Maybe that'll go with your surprise," I said.

Zak looked intrigued.

"Close your eyes," I said.

Zak rolled his eyes and then closed them. I drifted back across the tub, watching him carefully to make sure he didn't peak. When I made it to the other side, I scooted the Buddha and the plant over and picked up a dish with a fork. I then floated back over to him, being extremely careful not to get a single crumb in the water.  
When I made it back to Zak, I cut a piece of the triangle of chocolate wonder with the fork and stabbed it.

"Say 'Ah'," I said.

Zak opened his mouth and said "Ah." I slipped the cake piece into his mouth and watched as he pulled it off the fork. He took one bite and his eyes popped open. He was speechless for a moment as he chewed and swallowed.

"Compliments of your mother," I said with a smile.

Zak's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

"That is absolutely orgasmic. My mom made this?" he asked in disbelief.

I nodded.

"She made it for us and called me to come get it. She also said you needed to call her, by the way," I said.

Zak nodded.

"I'll get around to it. That is fucking delicious!"

I laughed and handed Zak his plate. He dug in immediately.

"There's one bonus present for you," I said.

Zak was in the middle of stabbing another piece when he looked up at me with big, eager eyes.

"What else?" he asked.

I smirked.

"Me," I said, "I'm all your's."

Zak's eyes darkened with desire and his cake was forgotten as he sat it and the champagne on the ledge. He straightened to his full height and peeked around me.

"This is a clothing optional party, isn't it?" he asked.

I smiled.

"Oh, I suppose," I sighed.

Zak smiled and leaned down to kiss me.

"You don't get that lucky this soon," he teased.

I pretended to be disappointed as he climbed into the water and immersed himself.

"I must say, Mikey, this was a really good idea," he commented.

And it was only going to get better. After we finished most of our cake, feeding it to each other and stealing kisses in between, I had half a flute of champagne (I didn't really like the taste), and Zak had nearly two of them. He was more relaxed afterwards, and I set out to make him even more comfortable. Food set aside, I swam behind him and rubbed the knots and stress out of his neck and shoulders. Zak went limp on me as I did so, moaning every once in a while as I worked on him.

"Moan one more time and so help me," I said, laughing.

Zak laughed and leaned back into me, laying his head on my shoulder as he closed his eyes, looking more at peace than I had seen him all week. My focus then trailed down to his neck and bare chest. Fading and yellowing bruises were everywhere. He literally looked like he had had the shit pounded out of him by someone-maybe even a group of people. They were healing, but I knew that every move he made probably caused him pain. These passed few days had probably been the worst for him, but he never mentioned the bruises or any torture caused by them once. Brave motherfucker.  
I leaned down and kissed the palm sized bruise on the side of his neck, forgetting his massage. Zak watched with curiosity as I moved around his front and kissed every bruise visible before my chin touched the hot water. As I went back up his chest, making sure I didn't miss any of them, Zak's hand held the back of my head-his fingers entwining into my wet hair. With a little pressure from his fingertips, he brought my head back up and pressed his lips into mine. He tasted just like that heavenly chocolate cake. I quickly forgot myself and moaned into his mouth. Zak replied with a small, throaty grunt as he held my jaw within his huge hands. He then broke away, his lips red and his cheeks flushed. I probably mirrored him.

"All mine, you say?" he inquired.

I felt my cheeks heat up and I nodded.

"What am I allowed?" he asked.

I swam into him, stroking his jaw with my fingernails as I kissed up the opposite side, stopping before his ear. His hands went to my hips in preparation to yank me into him and possibly dig his fingernails in, but didn't do anything.

"Anything you wish," I answered, whispering it in his ear.

And I hope I wouldn't regret saying that. I looked at him. He flashed a smile, showing his teeth. I detected a lusty desire in his eyes, and I instantly knew I was in for it.  
Zak brushed the hair on the right side of my head back behind my ear, exposing my neck. I didn't even have time to react as he dove in, biting gently and sucking. I gasped as I wrapped my hands around his head and tried desperately not to claw his hair out. I don't know what it is about my neck, but I was so sensitive on both sides. Zak knew just how to get the most out of this little secret I had accidentally revealed to him on the plane ride to Romania, and before he had even spent 30 seconds on my neck, I was letting out strangled moans and my body was set ablaze.  
I arched my back into him, receiving hands moving from my hips to my breasts. He never disconnected from my neck as he kneaded me, and I was ready to rip those damned trunks right off of him. So ready, in fact, that I sneakily moved a hand from the back of Zak's head to the waistband. He, however, caught my wandering hand and brought it back out of the water.

"Nuh-uh, sweetie," he broke away and said.

I let my shoulders drop and pushed my bottom lip into a pout.

"You've done enough for me. Let me love you tonight," he said.

How I loved that!

"You got your turn last time," he went on with a shrug.

"Fine," I groaned, not really complaining, but just being stubborn.

"Mikey, this is a night for you. You deserve it after all you've done for me these passed few days," he said.

I sighed. I couldn't argue with that. Zak nuzzled into the other side of my neck and kissed it.

"I love you, Zak," I said.

"I love you so much, babe," he said.

He latched on to my neck and resumed his work. My mind was instantly clouded with pleasure from him and the feeling of the hot, bubbling water against my skin. Zak turned us around, pressing me up against the tub wall. He moved his hands back down and brought my legs up around him. I locked my ankles around each other and grasped Zak's face.  
This was not the same broken man that was begging to go home in the van. His face was full of light and happiness now, as opposed to the pain and stress of the last lockdown, and when he was happy, he was gorgeous. He was smolderingly attractive, and in every sense of the word, sexy.

"How did I get so lucky?" I wondered out loud.

Zak smiled as he balanced my thighs on his hips. I rested my arms on his shoulders, crossing my wrists over each other. Zak took my face in one hand and breathed in deeply.

"I was wondering the exact same thing," he said lowly.

He captured my lips and tenderly kissed me. I held his cheek as he passionately moved his lips against mine. The hand holding my face traveled down, fingertips caressing my neck and trailing to my collarbone. There was a small splash as he submerged the hand. Being in heaven just by his kissing, I wasn't paying attention. My focus was on letting this kiss last as long as possible before breaking away to breathe, but when I felt his hand again, I gasped and had to break away unwilling. Zak's hand was slowly moving up my thigh, his other hand traveling back up to my chest. He pushed me into the wall of the tub, my body nearly flush with his as he lifted a leg to balance me. It wasn't that hard to keep my afloat in the water, but he needed the extra support. I could tell he wanted to let lose and put his hands anywhere and everywhere, as did I, but humans are only gifted two hands.  
Zak's left hand moved around me and held me against him. His other hand had made it to its destination. He pressed his lips against my neck and rubbed lightly. I felt electrified and my brain and vocal chords became useless. I wasn't sure whether to moan or speak or what. All I could do was cling to him and soundlessly gasp as I threw my head back. Zak apparently knew exactly what he was doing, because he gave me this ornery smirk before he pressed his thumb in harder and moved it in a circle. My body involuntarily twitched, as if a jolt of electricity was shot through it. The jolt came several more times as Zak continued, and each time was stronger. After each jolt, heat pooled in the pit of my stomach and down lower. He was going to be the end of me.  
My body twitched again, my thighs squeezing around his torso as he trailed kisses down to my chest.

"God, Zak," I breathed, digging my nails lightly into his unmarked shoulders.

Zak came back up and smiled at me.

"Tell me what you want, sweetie," he said.

I had to fight back the moan that the mere sound of his voice caused.

"You," I breathed out.

I cleared my throat to speak more audibly.

"So bad," I finished.

Zak smirked and sought out my lips. I grunted as one of his wonderful fingers moved into me. He had no idea how crazy he was making me. He already had me worked up. My mind was screaming at him to just go for it, but he had different intentions. He was taking it slow and sweet, and I really needed to learn how to be more patient and enjoy what Zak was doing. He knew how to make me feel loved.  
Zak moved a second finger in and stroked gently as he continued with his thumb. I let out a strangled moan and let my head fall back. Zak kissed my cheek and brought my head back up so he could look at me. I pulsed when I saw the loving expression on his face.

"You're beautiful," he said, his voice just above a whisper.

I couldn't make myself respond. He kissed me and moved his hand a little faster. He didn't have to speed up too much before I felt myself about to lose it. When he curved his fingers like one would do to gesture for someone to come, I did.

"Zak, Zak, Zak!" I cried out, starting at a gasp and ending at a scream.

I laid my forehead against his collarbone. He waited a few seconds before pulling out. He then wound his arms around me. I raised my head and rested my chin on his broad shoulder.

"Let's go to bed," he murmured, and pressed his lips against my cheek.

I nodded.

Zak and I hopped out of the tub and put towels around us. I grabbed my rose and my clothes while Zak shut off the hot tub and followed me in with the dishes and the champagne bottle. After dropping off the dishes in the kitchen and the champagne in the fridge, Zak chased me upstairs. He kept trying to trip me and yank my towel off, causing me to squeal and scream every time I thought I was caught. I had to book it up the stairs. I had to think of a quick escape plan so I wouldn't get caught. If I ran around the railing and into the bedroom, I was doomed. So, I opted for the bathroom.  
Apparently, that's where Zak had been wanting to go, too. As I finally reached the top step and began to run towards the bathroom, Zak caught up with me and zipped around me. I let out a little squeak thinking he was going to grab me, but he ran ahead of me instead.

"Don't you run into that bathroom, mister!" I called to him.

"Too late!" he exclaimed.

I ran after him, but before I could dive under his arm and shut myself in, Zak had already ran in to the bathroom and slammed the door shut. I slammed my fist on the door in aggravation.

"Come on, Zak!" I complained.

"Occupado!" he shrieked.

I laughed and gave up. I figured he was going to go ahead and take his contacts out and everything else he does before bed. I just shuffled off to the bedroom and dried myself off. I pulled the towel from around myself and wrapped my hair up in it so it wouldn't drip on the carpet. I didn't care that I was nude, but it did feel weird. So, I walked over to my dresser and tossed on a giant band t-shirt that I usually used as a night shirt. My phone was sitting on top of the dresser next to my jewelry box, so I picked it up and took it over to my nightstand and put it on the charger. I had to fumble for the little black cord, seeing as the only light was coming from the wall light at the top of the stairs.  
After plugging in my phone to it's charging cable, I walked around the bed and over to the corner to the floor lamp. I reached up and turned it on before shuffling back around the room. The room was depressing at night. The walls were still white, seeing as Zak and I had not yet made a decision on white color we were going to paint the walls. I didn't like white rooms, and he didn't like the absence of color, but it wasn't at the top of our list right now. I wasn't in the room enough to care, and Zak was more focused on keeping the room protected and cleansed. There was only one window, and it was blocked off. The only other windows were in the French doors the led out into the loft. So, it was well blocked off from the railing around the stairs and area open to the first floor. The room had been blessed, cleansed, and well protected from anything that wanted to harm us, but it still had a weird vibe at night.  
I walked around the bed and grabbed a ponytail holder off of my nightstand, removed my towel, and pulled my long, stringy hair up. Because of how crazy curly my hair could get, I had to leave it in a ponytail or bun so it would remain confined and a little easier to handle in the mornings. I could blow it dry, but I didn't want to deal with the Mufasa hair. Zak was lucky he had this silky, straight hair that was easily manageable. I envied him.  
I picked up my phone and messed around on Twitter. Down the hall, I could hear the bathroom door squeak open. The smell of Zak's cologne faintly drifted through the air, then grew stronger as the soft thumping of his heels could be heard. I put my phone back down and was going to turn around to go meet him, but as I turned around, I was greeted by lips crashing against mine and a pair of arms wrapping around me. I reacted by cupping his jaw and combing my fingers through his soft hair. Zak pulled away and nuzzled his nose against mine, touching his forehead to mine. He closed his eyes and lightly pecked my cheek.

"Hello, sweetie," I said softly.

I reached my arms around his bare shoulders. Zak rested his hands on my waist and backed us up until the bend of my legs bumped into the mattress. I peaked down to see that Zak was wearing nothing but a towel tied around his waist. Zak kissed me passionately and lifted my t-shirt, breaking only for a moment to get the old, baggy shirt off over my head. I took Zak by the shoulders and turned us around, nudging him to make him sit down on the bed. Zak scooted back onto the bed, tangling himself within the sheets. I crawled over to him and straddled his comforter covered hips. He laid there and watched me, looking like some topless male model for a commercial.  
I leaned over him, taking his face in my hands. He reached up and cupped my cheek, a sweet smile playing upon his lips. I leaned closer until I was almost laying on top of him. I tried to dig my knees into the mattress to balance myself and keep my full weight off of him. Not like I would hurt him, since he was double what I was, but I didn't want to put any pressure on his bruised skin. It made me angry to think of how anyone would dare hurt him after all he does to help people and animals alike. What must go though his mind when shit like that happens...what he wonders to deserve such treatment...  
I took his face into my hands, stroking his cheeks with my thumbs.

"Zak, you are so loved," I murmured, letting him know that shit he went through was worth it.

Zak smiled and kissed me deeply. He turned us over and threw the comforter and his towel aside. We clutched each other closely, his massive arms trapping me against him. I kissed his neck and nipped his earlobe. His trailed kisses from my cheek, to my lips, down my neck and all the way to my belly button. I let my eyes close and just laid back and enjoyed the feeling of his soft lips against my skin. He came back up to me and caressed my face with gentle fingertips.

"Michael," he said softly.

I opened my eyes to look at him. He was smiling and twirling a rebellious curl between his fingers. He held a massive palm against my cheek as I watched him with wonder and eagerness. I was just satisfied with laying under him and watching him, loving the way he touched me, watched me, and spoke to me. I really couldn't ask for more.

"You, sweetie, are the best gift I could ever ask for. I will never let you go, never hurt you, and will always love you," he promised.

He kissed me softly, but it quickly turned into a more passionate expression of love. Zak moved to line his hips up with mine. I could feel my cheeks flush and my body temperature rocket skyward. My arms feel from him to my side, my fists clenching the sheets in anticipation. Zak moved into me. I bit my lip and closed my eyes, throwing my head backwards as he moved in all the way. I let out a small moan as he began to move.  
We made love for the rest of the night. Zak would hold me against him, clutching me desperately as if he never wanted me to leave his arms. I never would ever want to leave this gorgeous, amazing man. Not in a million years, and not even in death. We went slow and sweet, and I quickly learned that patience was a virtue, for the real ending was always much better than anticipated.  
When one session of sweetness was over, we opted for more hardcore fun, and then back the slow and gentle. We stayed at it until the early hours of the morning until our bodies were completely exhausted and our minds were so clouded we couldn't function. We had rendered ourselves motionless, yet completely electrified. We had both made ourselves hoarse from screaming out in pleasure. I was surprised the neighbors didn't call the cops (even though we were always loud neighbors). I'm sure, though, that if they had heard us, they would have an idea of how incredible Zak made me feel-emotionally and otherwise.

"Zak!" I gasped that one last time.

Zak held me to him as I was paralyzed from the tremendous climax he had brought me to. He stroked my hair and whispered into my ear as I clutched his muscular shoulders and cried out into the crook of his neck. He soon followed, collapsing face first into the sheets near my head.

"My God, Michael!" he cried out into the mattress.

I was still reeling, not being able to think or move. Zak rolled off of me and wound his strong arms around me. He kissed me one last time before telling me that he loved me and laying his tired head on a pillow. I snuggled into his sweaty body.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Zak. I love you," I murmured.

Zak fell asleep quickly, get the sleep that he really need. I watched him. He looked adorable when he slept. He was, as Nick had said several times as a joke, precious. I felt connected spiritually with him, as if our souls were locked in their own little bubble, where together, nothing could stop us. I knew we were never going to be separated, and I wasn't going to let anything tear us apart. No people, not our own drama when it arose, and not the damn spirits that have nothing better to do than to hurt people. No one was going to hurt him, not while I'm around. I was going to protect him with my life, for the world needed him. I needed him. He was my best friend, my hero, and the love of my life. Nothing was going to stop us.


	8. Protection

**March**  
Salem, MA

"This is like, one of my most favorite towns ever," Nick said excitedly.

"Dude, I know, bro. This place is pretty stinkin' cool. Mikey, you've never been here before, have you?" Aaron asked.

"Nuh-uh," I replied.

It was a chilly, rainy afternoon here in Salem, Massachusetts. Rain drizzled down and froze the air, making our hands go numb and our breath become visible. Even having the heat on full blast in the Suburban did not help much. However, I guess it would help if I didn't have my hands and nose pressed up against the window. Zak was giggling at me.

"She's got her face pressed up against the window," he said.

"I'm looking at these houses," I said, "They're so cool and creepy."

Zak laughed as he stuffed his mouth full of cookie.

"I just wanna take a picture of all of them," I continued.

The guys laughed.

"Sounds like someone's been in Vegas for too long," Aaron said.

I smiled. It was true. The desert has its perks, but man, I loved wooded places better. And this, as Zak would say, "Dracula" weather was amazing! It was cold, wet, and miserable, and for some strange reason, it put our dark selves in a great mood.

"I want to find another witch," Aaron said excitedly.

"Oh, we will. We need to interview one for the show," Zak said.

I turned from the window, which was completely fogged up now, and dug into one of the shopping bags Zak and I had loaded with sugary dessert food and candy. The whole plane ride here, Zak and I got hungry and began craving Subway. I mentioned not having any Subway cookies in a while, and we soon developed a craving for Subway cookies. Then, it developed into a craving for brownies and candy and anything else containing sugar. With Zak's strict diet, we hardly had any junk food in the house, save for my precious Coca-Cola and the occasional chocolate bar. So, after checking in at the hotel, we made a run to the closest grocery store and raided the cookie and candy aisles.

Xxx  
**Hotel**

"Go! Go! Go!" Zak shouted once he slid the key through the door lock's sensors and yanked the handle down.

Both of us exploded through the door and tossed our luggage everywhere. I picked up the things that flew out of my hands and Zak heaved his large suitcase onto the bed.

"Look at this mess! We haven't even been in here for more than ten seconds!" I exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it! There's no time! Come on!" Zak said breathlessly.

I tossed my things on the table, accidentally knocking off the little hotel stationary and the list of cable channels for the TV.

"Come on, Michael! Do you have everything? Phone? Money?" Zak asked.

I patted my messenger bag hanging around my neck and dangling off my right side.

"Okay, let's go! Hurry!"

I ran behind Zak and out into the hallway. We were on the third floor of a little hotel just about a ten minute drive from the Salem Walmart. I walked out and looked around as Zak shut the hotel room door. Down the hall, Aaron's deep voice could be heard speaking with Billy, who was arguing with him about something.

"Shit!" Zak hissed.

He looked around in a panic.

"Come on! This way!" Zak said.

He grabbed my hand and we took off down the hall away from the voices. Zak and I skidded to a halt and tore off down a different set of stairs just in time for Aaron and Billy to make it to the top of their stairs. Zak and I ran down a hall and snuck up to the entrance of the lobby. Zak peeked in and looked around. When he decided that the coast was clear, he waved me over and we jogged through the lobby and out into the parking lot, where we tore off running for the van.  
We were being sneaky for a reason. We knew better than to be making a sugar run. We had so much stuff to do, but we were too focused on getting our sweet teeth satisfied. We knew if we got caught, the boys would want to go with us, and we'd be stuck at Walmart all day. There was no time. We had to get our treats and get back in time for lunch before anyone noticed we had gone. Immediately after lunch, we had to book it to the location for interviews and a walkthrough. I was glad Zak had drove the van this time. That meant we didn't have to ask for the keys. Nick surely wouldn't have leant us his car. It was raining and traffic was getting worse as lunch time grew closer. Zak's crazy driving in the rain with Nick's car? Nope! Not happening! Luckily, we had the van.

"I hope they got their crap out of here," I said as I sat in the passenger seat and shut the door.

Zak looked in the backseat, seeing our trash strewn everywhere.

"If they didn't, oh well. If I don't get a doughnut, I'm going to die," Zak said, being a total drama king about it.

I just giggled at him and buckled up.

When we arrived at Walmart, Zak and I ran in and looked around, neither of us having any idea where anything was.

"You start on one end and I start on the other?" I suggested.

Zak looked down at me and nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Quickly, though," he reminded me.

I nodded. Zak stalked down the aisle, sweeping through shoppers as he headed to the back of the grocery section. I set to work in the front bakery and made my way to the chips and candy section. I met up with Zak in the candy aisle. He had armfuls of chips and bags of cookies and was grabbing a box of more candy when I approached.

"What did you get?" he asked.

I juggled my things around in my arms.

"Apple juice boxes, personal sized cakes, bananas, and doughnuts. What did did you get?"

Zak grinned evilly.

"CANDY!" he growled.

"We're going to get sick," I laughed.

"Eat it in moderation," he said with a shrug as he eyeballed a bag of Easter candy.

"But I'm so hungry!" I argued, "We should never go to the grocery store hungry."

Zak laughed. We always went to the grocery store hungry and came back with crap we really didn't need. I usually managed to get half of it in my mouth before we ever got home.

"I freaking love candy, though. Nick and Billy will help us eat it, for sure," Zak said.

I laughed as I grabbed a bag of gummy worms.

"I'm going to go grab a basket and stop at the Subway up there and get cookies. I'm tempted to just go ahead and get a couple of footlongs. The guys said they were going to get fried clams or something for lunch," Zak said.

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I'll eat shrimp, calamari, crawfish, and even octopus if it's done right, but clams? Zak made me try crab once, and I almost gagged. I don't think I could handle clams.

"I know, right?" Zak laughed, "I'll get you a sub, sweetie."

"Thanks. I'm going to go to the movie section. Sometimes they have a tub full of theater candy," I said.

Zak nodded.

"Find a movie, too. We can watch it on the laptop," he said.

I nodded. Zak took the load of junk food out of my hands and let me wander off to the Entertainment section of the store. I did find a bin full of theater candy, but all they had were Lemon Heads and small boxes of popcorn. I then traveled to the $5 movie bin, but found nothing but really shitty chick flicks and straight to video DVDs for children. No cheesy horror films, no old Jim Carrey movies, no nothing!  
So, I wondered around the movie section before Zak came around the corner with two baggies with footlongs and cookies, plus our junk food.

"What did you find?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged.

"Nothing, really. They don't have much to choose from," I said.

Zak shifted his weight onto one foot and looked around thoughtfully. This Walmart really didn't have much as far as the things we were into.  
Zak bit his lip and glanced down at me.

"We're going to have to get creative," he said.

I smiled at him.

"Oh, that's easy for us," I said with a wink.

Zak just smiled and shook his head.

"Come on. Let's go. We don't have much time left," he said.

I fell into step beside Zak and we walked to the front of the store. I took the bag from his right hand and carried at as I threw an arm around his waist. His now free hand wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me in to him and we walked out into the rain with our sweets and our lunch and rushed back to the hotel.

Xxx

"Why do we need to interview a witch?" I asked as I opened up a baggie of sour gummy worms.

Zak sighed heavily.

"You'll see soon. Hey, Nick?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, bro?"

"Can we stop by the shop we went to last time we were here?" Zak asked.

Nick smiled at Zak in the rearview mirror.

"Why?" he asked, trying to suppress a laugh.

Zak just grinned in reply.

"I suppose, g. We have some time before we're supposed to do our walkthrough," Nick said.

Zak smiled, happy he had gotten his way.

"What's at this shop?" I inquired cheekily.

Zak smiled at me, his eyes loaded with mischief that I knew I should probably fear.

"Magic and..." Zak's eyes moved from side to side as he tried to think of what else he could list, "ponies and shit."

I laughed.

"Where there's ponies, there must be shit," I said.

Zak nudged me and Nick burst out laughing.

"Shut up, Mikey!" Zak said.

Aaron gasped excitedly and clapped his hands.

"Maybe I can try my horse-talk again! I've been practicing!" he said.

"No!" Nick and Zak said in unison.

Aaron jumped and pouted. I leaned forward and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll horse talk with you," I said.

That made Aaron grin.

"Good to know I have one friend who will back me up," Aaron said to the guys.

Nick jumped and pointed to a strip of small stores on the side of the road.

"There it is!" he said.

I sat back and rolled up my baggy of worms so they would not get stale. Zak was rolling his eyes.

"So help me, if you two get in there and embarrass me," he said to Aaron and I.

"Whatever, bro!" Aaron retorted, "You're the one who tried to get the bottles of stuff that was supposed to bring out your inner whore."

Zak set his jaw, his face flushing. I giggled.

"That was a long time ago," Zak responded stiffly.

We all laughed. Nick pulled up into a parking spot in front of the New Age shop Zak was talking about.

"This place is so cool," Aaron said.

Nick laughed.

"You just like the paintings of the nude witches on the wall," he said.

At that, they both started arguing.

"You'll like this place, Michael. They have all kinds of incense, oils, candles. I know you like gemstones. They have a ton!" Zak said.

I was intrigued. I wasn't a witch, but my Aunt Patch was a firm believer in candles and gemstones having spiritual properties. I was always interested in gemstones, and I kept all kinds of them in my birdbath and creek back at The Hollow. Whether they worked or not was up in the air for me, but after working with spirits for a little over a year, I figured this may be a good idea.  
We all got out of the van and walked into the little shop. The boys decided not to film, but Zak had his camcorder on him just incase. The store was really cool. They had everything from books, to gemstones, to decorations, to CDs. All of us split up around the store. Zak was on the hunt for something specific, while Nick, Aaron, and I browsed. I felt myself drawn to the gemstone section of the store. They had every gemstone one could ever wish to buy, and in every different form, from rough to tumbled, from jewelry to pyramids, eggs, and spheres. Beside the wall of stones was a chart that listed the available stones and described their properties and meanings. I quickly scanned the protective stones sections. My eyes grazed over Amethyst. I had an Amethyst bracelet that I wore every once in a while, as well as tumbled stones in my birdbath, so I was curious to see what kind of properties it had. According to the chart, it worked as a protective stone, which was good. As I scanned further, I found a stone I had never heard of. Upon reading the description, I was shocked.  
I kept reading and found two different stones that sparked my interest. I hunted for both of them, finding them in necklace and beaded bracelet form. They weren't cheap, but I was tempted to buy at least one for what the chart had said. I had to show Zak.  
I turned and looked over my shoulder. Zak was wondering around the CD section with Aaron, trying to find something new to meditate to.

"Zak!" I hissed.

Zak looked over his shoulder. I waved him over. Zak handed Aaron a CD he had picked out and walked over to me.

"What did you find, sweetie?" he asked.

"Check these out. Labradorite and Black Tourmaline are both used as amulets to protect the aura from negative energy. They both protect against psychic attack, psychic vampirism, and spiritual possession."

Zak looked intrigued at the mentioning of spiritual possession.

"Black Tourmaline also protects from harmful spirit intrusions. You could really use both of these," I said.

Zak nodded and reached for a Labradorite pillar and examined it.

"They have them in jewelry form," I said, holding up the beaded bracelet.

Zak replaced the pillar and took the bracelet.

"These sound like a really good idea. Especially for tomorrow night's lockdown," he said.

"I agree. Black Tourmaline sounds like something you could really use," I said.

Zak nodded.

"We all could use that one. Here, is there one in bracelet form?" he inquired.

I dug around through the shelves before I found two of the last Black Tourmaline bracelets.

"Looks like they're low. These are the last two," I said.

Zak took the bracelets. Nick and Aaron made their way over to us.

"Mikey, check this out!" Aaron said excitedly.

I turned to see Aaron approaching me with a red box in his hands.

"What's that?" I asked.

Aaron handed me the box.

"Henna tattoo kit," he replied, sounding all proud of himself.

"You do not need that," Zak said.

Aaron pouted.

"Well, I like it!" Aaron argued, "Michael can draw it on me. There's booklets inside that says how."

I was busy reading the complicated description on the back of the box.

"Aaron, I can't draw. What are you talking about?" I asked, laughing.

Aaron snatched the box back. Nick was smiling.

"What did you guys find?" Nick asked.

Zak turned to Nick, holding two Labradorite bracelets around his right index finger.

"Protection," Zak replied.

I cut my eyes at him. A naughty idea floated into my corrupted mind.

"That's _not_ what she said," I said.

Zak cracked a smile and Nick giggled.

"Wow, Mikey," Aaron said.

I laughed and walked back over to the chart to read up on other gemstones.

"Michael found two different bracelets that are said to protect against negative energy. The grayish-blue ones are Labradorite. They protect against negative energies. I'm getting Mikey and myself the Black Tourmaline. It's supposed to ward of negative energy and protect you from attachments. Do you two want the Labradorite ones? I have no idea what we're getting into at this lockdown, but it couldn't hurt," Zak said.

I tuned the boys out as I curiously looked up my birthstone. Both Zak and I were April babies (actually, Nick and Aaron were, as well), so our stones were diamonds. Our wedding rings had been laid with diamonds, his in a skinny line around the middle of the band and mine as my center stone. When I read the description of the stone on the chart, I was disappointed to see it didn't have much as far as properties went, but it did say that diamonds were used to make other stones properties stronger.

"Oooh, Zak! Look at this!" I said.

Zak turned away from Aaron and his profile appeared in my peripheral vision. I pointed to the description of the diamond.

"Lucky us. Those bracelets, if they help, will be stronger because we wear these rings," I said, lifting my hand and wriggling my fingers.

"Oh, hell yeah!" Zak said excitedly.

"But," I reminded him as I turned to him and the guys, "You have to take in account the season, the month, the moon phase, all of that."

Zak nodded.

"I'm really interested in this stuff now. Mikes, go see if you can find any books on gemstones," Zak said.

"Okay," I replied.

"Aaron, do you still have that CD I handed you?" Zak asked.

Aaron held up the CD case.

"Okay. Michael, I'm going to go hunt around a little bit more and buy these bracelets. Find a book or two and something you want and I'll buy it for you," he said.

Nick nudged Aaron with his elbow.

"Guess if we want really cool bracelets, we have to buy 'em ourselves," Nick said, half-joking.

"No, I'm getting you two these whether you like 'em or not. I'm not letting anyone go in unprotected," Zak said.

Aaron and I looked at each other, our cheeks turning beet red as we bit our bottom lips. Zak caught what he had said and was going to turn around and correct himself, but it was too late. Nick turned and walked away to keep from causing a scene. Aaron and I burst out laughing. I nearly hit the floor from laughing so hard. Aaron was crying from his silent and uncontrollable laughter. At first, I was cackling, but I was running out of breath and wheezing within seconds.

"You guys are so disgusting," Zak muttered.

Aaron sniffed and looked at me.

"At least he takes good care of us," he said, then resumed laughing.

I could not for the life of me stop laughing. It had to be all the sugar I had consumed in the van making extraordinarily hyper.

"Michael! You sound like a chain smoker!" Zak said quietly as to not attract attention for the lady at the cash register in the front.

That only made me laugh harder.

"There must be something in here," Zak said.

"All this incense, bro," Aaron said, waving his hand as a stream of smoke from a nearby stick blew in his face.

Zak nodded in agreement.

"Mikey, go find what you want and let's go. We're going to be late for our interviews if we keep this up," Zak said.

I obeyed and led Aaron away from Zak.

"Are we really that bad?" Aaron asked me as we walked over to the books section.

I laughed and shrugged.

"I don't know, but either way, it aggravates him to no end!" I said happily-I shouldn't be happy about that, but for some reason, I was!

I flipped through the books until I found two really interesting encyclopedias on gemstones.

"Oh, but don't you just love to aggravate The Precious?" Aaron asked with a grin.

I laughed as we left the books and returned to the center of the store where the fragrance oils were.

"He's adorable when he's mad," I said.

"Oh, whatever!" Aaron said, making me smile.

After finally picking out several bottles of oil that I thought smelled really good, I returned to Zak, who was looking at little statues of fairies or something.

"What did ya get, babe?" he asked.

"Two encyclopedias I thought were pretty detailed. We could look over them tonight," I suggested.

Zak nodded and picked up a bottle of oil.

"If this is Dragon's Blood again, I'm going to puke," Zak said.

I smirked as I watched him read the label. His eyes grew huge as he scanned it.

"Michael!" he scolded.

"It doesn't smell like what it says!"

Zak just shook his head as he balanced our items on one arm and twisted the cap off. He wafted timidly before a devious smile came across his face.

"I'm pretty sure this is used to bring out your inner whore," Zak said as he replaced the lid.

I laughed. The oil I had grabbed had quite the suggestive title, but the smell was sweet and perfume-like. In any case, I liked it and if Zak was going to refuse to pay for it, I sure as hell was. It smelled amazing, and I'm a scent junkie.  
Zak didn't argue with me and purchased the books, oil, jewelry, and his CD and packet of incense.  
When we left, an intoxicating scent wafted up in the van.

"I think I got some of that oil on my fingers," Zak said as he rubbed his fingertips against his thumb, feeling the greasy residue.

He reached down and grabbed a napkin out of one of the plastic sacks we had in the floor to wipe it off. I laid my head on his shoulder.

"You. Smell. Amazing!" I said dreamily.

Zak looked down at me and smiled.

"I'm never taking you to a new age shop ever again," he said playfully.

I giggled and sat back up to dig in the bag for one of the books we had bought.

"Are we ready to go?" Nick asked from the driver's seat, "Billy just called and he's already at the house."

"Ready," we said in unison.

Nick started the van and backed out of the parking spot.

"Hey, sweetie?" Zak asked.

"Yes?" Aaron asked in a high pitched voice.

With the napkin he had wiped on his fingers to remove the oil, Zak wadded it in to a ball and tossed it at Aaron, making the older investigator laugh.

"Yes, Zak?" I asked, looking up at him and fluttering my eyelashes.

Zak suppressed a laugh.

"I know I keep telling you that I don't want you going on any more lockdowns, but-"

"You want me on this one? Sure!" I said eagerly.

"Just for an hour or so," Zak said quickly as to not get my hopes up.

I shrugged and went back to reading my new literature.

"I want you to do some full-spectrum stills this time. Then, you can do your thing with the DSLR," he went on.

I nodded, my eyes glued to the pages of the book.

"Woo! Mikey back in action again!" Nick said excitedly, "Bro, I'm so pumped for this lockdown!"

"Me, too," Zak agreed.

I looked up at Nick, then at Zak, wondering what it was about this location that had the boys so pumped.  
I would soon find out, though.


	9. Attic Encounters

"Yikes! How's this for a picture perfect house, Mikes?" Nick asked as we walked by me with a camera on his shoulder.

I was staring up at a small two story house with beige paint and white trim. It was obviously old and had been on the property forever. I could tell just by the style and how big and long the windows were. They didn't make windows like that anymore. However, the door was fairly new looking and the railing on the porch looked brand new. Someone had come in and restored the place. It would have taken away from that classic haunted house feel, had the aura of the place not been so horror movie like.

"This is like something out of a Stephen King novel or something," I said, staring on at the house in terror.  
Zak was smiling as he waltzed up beside me.

"And they remodeled it. Can you imagine how pissed the ghosts are?" he asked.

Oh God! Zak left me behind and walked up to the front steps where the house's owner was waiting. Aaron and Billy came up on both sides of me.

"Are we going to do an experiment later? See if Zak really is being followed by that lady?" Aaron asked.

"Oooh! I forgot about that! Did you show Zak?" Billy asked.

Ah! So many questions!

"Yes, I showed him and Aaron, I don't know," I replied, "We have a lockdown to prepare for. Zak's not going to want to do a side project right now."

Aaron threw an arm around my shoulders.

"Well, that's why we have to be sneaky," he said with a wink.

I frowned at him.

"I'm not sneaking around behind his back!"

"It's not sneaking around behind his back. It's being _creative_," Billy said.

"Billy!" I scolded.

Zak appeared out on the front porch of the house.

"Guys! Come on! What's the deal?" he called.

Bill, Aaron and I exchanged glances.

"Well, now is not the time for our experiment," I said.

"Maybe we can try it at the hotel?" Billy suggested.

Aaron's eyes grew large with excitement.

"Oooh, yeah! Activity always happens with you're least expecting it, anyway," he said.

We nodded in agreement. We decided that later we would tell Nick about our plan. I wasn't too thrilled about what we were going to do, but I knew it was the only way to prove that this lady was really following Zak. That is, if she was here.

Xxx

"What kind of activity has happened up here, Ben?" Zak asked Mr. Ben Harmon, the house's owner.

I crouched down at the foot of the stairs and took pictures of the boys as they filmed the interview before I went back out to rejoin Billy and do some equipment tech work.

"This is the floor where most of the paranormal crews that come through here hear a lot of unexplainable noises. The last crew that came through here heard chains thumping around in the attic," said Mr. Harmon as he pointed up to the ceiling.

"Chains?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, like a metallic clanging sound that sounded like-well, like chains," Mr. Harmon replied.

"Why would they be hearing a clanging sound?" Zak asked.

Mr. Harmon sighed.

"It's the ghost they call Tiny Girl," he replied.

"And who is Tiny Girl?" Zak asked.

"Back during the 1600s, some time during the Witch Trials, a man named Leon Mault and his wife Bridget moved in here and started a family. They soon had a daughter named Samantha, but not when they expected her."

As Mr. Harmon explained the home's backstory, I was supposed to be slipping out and joining Billy, but I wanted to hear the story this time. So, I snuck around the stairs and stood on tip-toe with my face pressed into the railing as I listened.

"Samantha was born prematurely. There were many complications with Bridget's pregnancy, and in her seventh month, she gave birth to Samantha. The family thought they were blessed, because Bridget not only lived through a birth, but a risky one. Not many women were lucky enough to make it through an ordeal like that back in the 1600s. But, of course, Leon and Bridget thought they were blessed by God, because they were gifted with Samantha. Later, they would soon think otherwise."

"How come?" Nick asked.

"Because of her conditions, Samantha was born with several mental disorders. Historians are not quite sure what all she had, but they think she may have had bipolar disorder or even Schizophrenia among other things," Mr Harmon explained.

I could see Zak on the other side of his Nick. His eyebrows were furrowed with thought and concern and his arms were crossed over his chest as he listened intently to Mr. Harmon.

"Do you think Samantha could have received some of those disorders from her mother or someone in her family?" Zak asked.

Mr. Harmon shrugged.

"No one knows. I mean, it is possible, but there are no records of anyone else in the family having anything wrong with them," he explained.

Zak nodded.

"Okay, so I'm guessing Tiny Girl is Samantha?" he asked.

Mr. Harmon nodded.

"Okay, so why does she haunt here? I'm assuming she died here," Zak said.

"Yes, sir. Samantha was about five years old when she strangled herself with her chains in the attic," Mr. Harmon replied.

I saw Nick and Zak's jaws fall.

"Whoa," Aaron said softly.

"What? Why? Why was she chained up in the attic?" Zak asked, sounding upset.

"Well, Samantha's conditions were so severe. People around had never witnessed someone who was in a way like Leon and Bridget's child was. So, when Samantha started exhibiting her symptoms of her conditions, they brought a doctor in. Well, the doctor also had never seen anything like it and he tried to help, but eventually just gave up."

"So, what did they do?" Zak asked.

"Things got out of control after that," Mr. Harmon said.

"They did?" Zak inquired.

Mr. Harmon nodded.

"Like I said, Samantha's conditions were really severe. By the time she was three years old, she had become quiet vicious. Very violent. Her parents didn't know how to handle or what to do. They ended up thinking that maybe Samantha was possessed."

"Possessed?" Nick asked incredulously.

"Well, times were different then. Possession was their only explanation," Mr. Harmon replied, "They hired a priest from the village to perform an exorcism on Samantha. They performed it here," Mr. Harmon pointed to the open door beside where they were standing, "in the nursery."

Zak and Nick stepped into the nursery, but Mr. Harmon and Aaron remained in the hall. I was grateful for Zak's loud voice. It seemed to carry straight down the stairs, so I wasn't missing out on much of the home's backstory.

"Was this Samantha's room, then?" Zak asked.

"Up until she was about three years old, yes," Mr. Harmon replied, "After the exorcism, she didn't remain in here."

I clenched my hands around the stair railing. Samantha was only three years old when they performed an unnecessary exorcism on her? What the fuck?

"They performed an exorcism on a three year old girl?" Zak asked, his voice kicking up an octave.

I watched as Mr. Harmon nodded. A pained expression swept across Zak's face.

"The exorcism was unsuccessful, obviously. When it 'failed,' the family decided that she must have been a witch," Mr. Harmon said.

Zak's pained expression turned to horror, and Aaron mirrored his expression.

"A three year old girl with mental issues-with special needs claimed a witch? That's ridiculous!" Zak said.

Mr. Harmon nodded in agreement.

"It is, and Bridget, her mother, tried to defend her and say that she was just sick with fever or something explainable and tried to save Samantha from burning at the stake," he said.

Zak's eyes widened and his jaw fell.

"You're kidding," he said flatly.

Mr. Harmon shook his head. I couldn't pull myself away to go back to Billy and work-I was so absorbed in the story. So absorbed, in fact, that I jumped and nearly screamed when a finger tapped my shoulder. I turned to see Billy standing beside me.

"Hey, I thought you were going to come out and help me with some of the equipment?" he asked softly so the sound of his voice wouldn't get mixed in with the interview going on above us.

"I was. I'm sorry. I was just listening to the owner tell the story of the house. Come listen to this," I said.

Billy pressed up against the stairs and tilted his head to listen.

"How did she manage to get out of the restraints?" Nick asked.

Damn! I must have missed an important part.

"Historians think that it could have possibly been that Samantha's wrists were too small for the rope and she slipped out. It could have been that perhaps that the fire burnt through, but she was able to make it out of the fire. She was burned badly. Her whole left side of her face was completely mutilated. We even have pictures of when she was still alive after she escaped the stake."

"Really?" Zak asked.

"Yes, but I must warn you, it is really disturbing," Mr. Harmon said.

Billy and I watched on as the photo, which was on Mr. Harmon's phones, was passed around between the guys. I could tell just by the expression of pure disgust and terror on their faces that this was not a photo I wanted to analyze.

"They kept Samantha chained up in the attic after that. They didn't want family or visitors to see her or hear her. Leon hired a servant to feed and water Samantha twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. He also restrained his wife."

Terror flashed in Zak's eyes. I had a feeling I was about to hear about how Leon possibly beat Bridget. If so, this was going to be a repeat of Dunlap Mansion.  
I was suddenly not so eager to participate on this investigation.

"Leon tied Bridget to a radiator in the dining room. He left for two days, returned with a gun and shot Bridget," Mr. Harmon said.

"What for?" Zak asked.

"It was rumored that she was pregnant again, and he didn't want another child because he was afraid the next one would also be like Samantha. So he shot Bridget. Buried her in the backyard. Samantha lived for about two more years before she was found dead in the attic. Leon left after Samantha's burial and was never seen or heard from again."

I saw a look of deep sadness and hurt run across Zak's face.

"These kinds of hauntings with people in this situation, with women and children...it's kind of hard for me to swallow. I mean, my heart has always gone out to the spirits of women and children in this kind of situation, but as time has gone by, it's accelerated. Hearing stories like that are really hard for me to swallow," Zak said.

No one would ever think about calling Zak a douche or a jerk if they knew and saw how he cared and respect women and children. This was at the top of my list of things I loved about him, and he made me love and respect him even more than I already did.

"Zak," Nick said tentatively, "Is that because of Michael?"

I perked up at the sound of my name. Zak looked up sadly at Nick.

"Yes, because of Michael," he said softly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

I bit my lip and looked down at my shoes. Zak proceeded to explain to Mr. Harmon who I was and why the sad story of Bridget and her daughter Samantha affected him so.

"I've almost lost Mikey more than once and...I just can't wrap my head around why a man, who I assume previously loved his wife, would ever do that! I know...I could never lay a hand on my wife, much less tie her up and shoot her because of a less than favorable child. Especially if she was pregnant! That is just..." Zak finished with a growl as he shook his head.

"Messed up," Aaron finished for him.

"Me neither, man," Mr. Harmon agreed.

Zak went quiet as he focused down on his red Jordan's. Billy lightly nudged my side. I turned my head in his direction, but kept my eyes on Zak.

"I bet there isn't a second of the day where you're not on his mind," he whispered to me.

I looked over at him and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Billy just smiled and patted my shoulder.

"Come on, Mikes. We still have some work to do," Billy said, trying to pull me away, but Zak's next question kept our feet stationary.

"But they believed that Tiny Girl-that their daughter, Samantha, was a witch?" Zak asked.

Mr. Harmon nodded.

"Well, that was their only logical answer. So, yes," he replied.

I watched as Zak looked from Aaron's camera to Nick's.

"We're going to go find and interview a witch, guys. A living witch," Zak said, "I want to know what a real witch is. We've worked with witches in investigations before, but I want the definition of 'witch.' I want to find out what makes a witch from a real witch. Because a special needs child is not a witch."

The boys cut there and left to finish the rest of the walkthrough. Billy tugged on my jacket sleeve, signaling that it was time to head on outside.  
As I walked towards the front door, I felt anger and hatred bubble up inside me. It wasn't anything paranormal, but just contempt towards Bridget and Leon. There were two layers of connectivity I had with the spirits here. I could relate to both Bridget and Samantha on certain levels, and that made this lockdown a little more personal-not to mention making me a little bit more vulnerable. I would have to put up my mental guard and my own personal guard. The guys couldn't help me out this time. I had let them be strong for me, but it was time to reemploy myself again. Scary thoughts, but I was ready for it.  
When the walkthrough was over and Billy and I had finished our work and loaded up, I approached Zak. He was standing near the side doors of the van messing around on his phone while we waited for Nick and Aaron to pack up the bigger cameras. He didn't notice me until I slipped my arms around his torso. Zak's free arm wrapped around me. He slipped his cell phone back into his jacket pocket and then completed the hug with the now free arm.  
I nuzzled my face into his t-shirt. I could feel his head tilt down and lips press against my hair.

"What's this for, sweetie?" he asked.

I looked up at him and bit my bottom lip.

"I may have been eavesdropping," I said.

Zak rolled his eyes, but smiled and hugged me tighter.

"I would never hurt you," he mumbled into my hair.

I sighed.

"I know," I replied quietly.

"And I am aware that his lockdown could bring up some shit and I know you don't want to go through that again, but we need you on this lockdown. But if you don't want to do it, it's okay," he said.

I smiled at him and patted his chest.

"I'll be okay," I said.

I didn't sound so sure, even to myself.

"Are you sure?" Zak asked.

I took a split second to think before I made up my mind and nodded. I couldn't back at and sit and watch and not cooperate. I was a part of this team. I shouldn't get special treatment just because I was a female-or married to Zak for that matter. I was going to do this.  
Zak brushed my hair behind my shoulder, then cupped my cheek.

"You're so fucking brave, it's unbelievable," he said.

He kissed my forehead and then opened the door so we could load and return to the hotel. I knew I had to brave and could not show fear, but in the company of the Crew, I felt no reason to be scared and every reason to be brave.

Xxx  
The next day  
Before lockdown time

Zak was standing out in front of The House of Tiny Girl, walking backwards as he spoke about the witch we had interviewed earlier today. Nick and Aaron were filming him and I was crouched nearby taking pictures. Yesterday, I had gotten all of the photos I needed. What I was doing now was focusing in on Zak, trying to see if I could, yet again, capture the apparition of the woman that I had shot back in Ohio. I also believe that this woman was present at the railroad in Texas as well, so I wanted more evidence to see if Zak had an attachment. I didn't like Zak having attachments. The idea scared me. But this spirit did not come off as aggressive or evil in any way, so this pushed me to want to help her. I wanted to find out what she wanted and help her cross on, or at least communicate with Zak.  
When I returned to the van and reviewed my pictures, I saw nothing. That's when I remembered that all of the shots I had taken where the apparition had appeared had been solo shots. Nick and Aaron were not around at the time. Therefore, impromptu experiment failed.

"Did you get anything?" Billy asked eagerly when I returned to the van.

I shook my head.

"Nah. I did it wrong. We'll have to wait until we return home. There may be the possibility that if it did follow him, he left it at home," I said.

Billy nodded thoughtfully.

"It'll take a lot of experimentation," he said.

"Yeah, but we don't have the time. Not tonight, anyways," I replied.

Billy agreed and returned to his work. He was working base tonight from the van. I was going to help him out later after my sweep. Zak requested I do a full-spectrum sweep of the house, as well as regular photos with my own camera to see if I could do what I seemed to have a knack for: capturing apparitions. So, I grabbed one of the full-spectrum cameras I had fiddled around with and one of my smaller DSLRs. Hopefully both cameras did their job tonight. If the spirits of Samantha and her mother Bridget (and maybe Leon, but I hoped not) were still around, I wanted proof so we could help them find closure and move on.  
After picking out a lens and digging out a memory card, Zak, Nick, and Aaron came out to check with Billy on their game-plan before it was time for me to get locked down with them. After their quick run-through, the boys and headed up to the house. Billy locked us in. Because I was only staying around for an hour or so, we needed someone to unlock the front doors so I could leave. Mr. Harmon, the building's caretaker, lived nearly half an hour away, so it was just easier to leave the keys to the locks with Billy. It wasn't like we were going to do any harm to the place anyway.

"So right now, we just got locked down in the House of Tiny-you know what? I don't even like calling it that. The Mault Family House. It's not called that, but that's what I'm going to call it. We just got locked in in the Mault Family House. Tonight, our photographer, Mikey, will be joining us...as much as I hate the have her on a lockdown like this."

I cut my eyes at Zak. He looked at me and sighed.

"But we're going to try this again. Anyways, Mikey is going to do a sweep with the full-spectrum camera. Michael, you're going to sweep the hallway and go up into the attic with Aaron and take some pictures up there. See if you can capture Samantha. Aaron, take an EMF teddy bear with you. I think the bear will be our best bet to get evidence of her. Nick and I are going to get locked back our of here in a minute and go to the backyard. This is where Bridget and Samantha were buried. We're going to go a thermal sweep and an EVP session. Later, Nick and I are going to investigate the rest of the house, but I want you two to meet us back in the dining room where Bridget was shot before Mikey gets released. Are you guys ready?"

Nick, Aaron and I nodded.

"Then let's do this!" Zak said excitedly.

Zak put his fist out to start the collective fist pound that we did to mark the beginning of the lockdown. Aaron and I excitedly split off and began to scale the stairs on our journey to the attic, when Zak called out Aaron's name.

"Hey, Aaron?"

Aaron and I stopped and looked back at Zak.

"Keep an eye on her," Zak said strictly.

"Oh yes!" Aaron said as he threw an arm around me, "because the higher we get, the braver she gets."

Zak and I both rolled our eyes.

"Aaron, I'm serious. Michael, stay safe. Please?" Zak said, nearly pleading.

"I'll be fine. Good luck, guys!"

Aaron took my wrist and tugged.

"Let's go!" he said.

Aaron and I turned away from Nick and Aaron and ran up the stairs to the hallway. As we walked by the first bedroom, I realized it was the nursery where the boys had interviewed Mr. Harmon. Aaron was already trekking to the corner to turn and go up into the attic and didn't notice I had stopped. Curiosity piqued, I pushed open the dark wood door and peered inside. The heavy old door moved open with a creak. In the past, I used to be annoyed by creaky doors, but on investigations, the noises came in handy. This meant that if we were at one end of the hall and we heard a creak, we would know that a door had moved on the spot.  
Inside, I could hardly see anything. Being early spring and not quite time for the time change, it was pitch black outside, leaving the house with no light at all. I had no night vision gear (no surprise there), but I had been relying on my ears and following the green glow of Aaron's LCD screen on his camera. I had a flashlight on me, so I decided to pull it out and shine it inside. I knew there would probably be a X-cam already placed inside and I would probably be interrupting its recording, but I was too interested in seeing where baby Samantha lived before things went downhill for her.  
I stepped over the threshold and looked around. I could hear Aaron call my name and then shortly approach. I shined my light all around the room. The room was a mixture of old and new, as far as cosmetics were concerned. It was a small bedroom type space. The floors were hardwood that had been refurbished, but seemed original to the house. The walls were all original as well, but the owners that had restored the house had installed a decorative sort of wall board that went halfway up the wall. Both the original wall and the board had been painted white, giving the room that bland apartment bedroom feeling. The previous owners had left the ceiling alone, save for an ugly fan that looked like it was stuck in the 1980s. A large window was the only thing breaking the monotony of the room up. There was nothing else except tiny holes in the walls were pictures had been, an X-cam, and myself.

"What are you doing?" Aaron asked from behind me.

I shrugged.

"I just wanted to see what the nursery looked like," I replied simply.

"Oh, I thought you might have seen something or felt something," Aaron said.

I shook my head in response.

"Nah. I just wanted to look," I replied.

The nursery was not a room I had been assigned to. I don't know if Zak had simply forgotten about it or possibly wanted it for himself. Maybe he had not been interested in getting any shots of the nursery and perhaps he didn't want me exploring it, but I pulled up my own camera and set it on Continuous, just for good measure. You never know when spirits could pop up and if you don't take your chance, you won't get another one.  
After our mini-investigation of the nursery, Aaron and I traveled down the hall and around the corner.

"I have no idea where the door is to the attic," Aaron said.

I squinted up at his faintly illuminated head.

"What do you mean? Didn't you guys go up there earlier?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. That wasn't the issue. I just don't remember exactly where it was. It's one of those doors you pull down from the ceiling. You know. With the fold-out ladder and all. Kind of creepy," he explained.

I felt dread settle deep within my chest. Ladders?

"I bet Zak had a time with that," I said, remembering how he really didn't like climbing, since he was scared of heights.

"Not really. He climbed up here and was fine. Oh! Here it is!"

Aaron had his camera faced to the ceiling, where a rectangular door was-complete with dangling pull string!

"Can you hold this for me, Mikes?" Aaron asked, handing me his night vision camera.

"Sure," I said, taking the device from his hands, "Do you need a flashlight?"

Aaron replied by pulling a medium-sized flashlight out of his jeans pocket and shined the light at me.

"Okay," I said.

Aaron pointed his light up to the attic door and reached up to pull the string. I backed up and filmed Aaron as he pulled the door down and unfolded the most unsafe looking ladder I had ever seen. The attic may be a spot I won't be helping out on.

"Would you like to go up first, or shall I?" Aaron asked.

I handed his night vision camera back to him.

"Umm. You first," I said nervously.

I smirked at me.

"What? Scared of what's up here?" he asked teasingly.

I shook my head.

"I'm not too fond of ladders," I replied.

Aaron smiled knowingly and laughed.

"Well, Mikey, you climbed the ladder on Billy's RV without a problem. Remember Halloween two years ago?"

"Yes, but that was a sturdy _metal_ ladder that I knew wasn't going to fall out from under me. This death trap is made out of wood that I know has to be over 100 years old!" I pointed out.

Aaron looked at the rickety ladder and shrugged.

"Nick and I were on it at the same time and we lived. You'll be okay," he said.

My eyes scanned from the floor, up the ladder, and into the pitch black hole that was the attic. I can't lie. I was really uneasy about this.  
With one hand for support and the flashlight and camera in the other hand, Aaron filmed himself climbing the ladder. He scaled it with ease, even as he multitasked with his equipment. I was a little bit less afraid as I heard him haul himself to his feet up above me.

"Your turn, short stuff!" Aaron called from on high.

I took a deep breath and climbed up onto the first step. The ladder was shaky and creaked beneath me. The sound scared me, but I had to remind myself that it creaked plenty with Aaron on it and he was fine. So, without further psyching myself out, I climbed to the third step before I froze up. Looking at the fourth, fifth, sixth to the eleventh or twelfth step stopped me in my tracks.

"Mikey, what's wrong?" Aaron asked worriedly.

I wasn't even two feet off the ground! Well, maybe exactly two feet.

"You may be doing this on your own, bro," I said shakily.

"Michael, you're alright. You haven't even made it halfway. Come on," he urged.

I tried to lift my right foot, but my knees were locked in place.

"I don't know," I said.

"Mikey, come on. We have a lot of work to do. It's not that high. You can do it," he encouraged.

With every ounce of bravery and strength I could muster, I placed my hands on the next step above my head and swiftly clambered up on the next step. My legs were rattling and there was a deep trembling that started at my fingertips and ran up through my arms and into my shoulders.

"Holy shit," I breathed out.

"You've got this, sis. Come on. What if one of us were in trouble up here and we needed you? You would climb those stairs like a monkey, I bet," Aaron said.

I shook my head.

"I think I might just have to let you die," I said, kind of joking with him.

Actually, I'm sure if my adrenaline kicked in, the ladder wouldn't bother me that much. It was all in my head, and I need to get my mind off of it. It wasn't like I could fall very far, anyways. Still, I kind of wished someone was below me to catch me. Didn't need to be going to the emergency room tonight.  
I had to baby-step my way up the ladder, but by the time I crossed the halfway point, I was able to move a little faster.

"Oh, by the way, one of the steps is cracked down the middle," Aaron said.

"Which one?" I exclaimed.

This was so convenient!

"Oh, I don't remember," he said.

I growled.

"Don't worry about it. You're almost there. Just a few more steps," he went on.  
I trucked on up the steps. When my head and shoulders were inside the attic, Aaron took my hands and helped me in. All in all, this whole ordeal (not including Aaron's climb) took ten minutes. Let's just say, if I made it back the floor safely, I wouldn't be climbed anything with steps for a while!  
When I straightened myself, Aaron shone his flashlight around the attic. A sudden wave of deja vu hit me out of nowhere and I felt as if I shouldn't step any further into the attic.

"Let's go," Aaron murmured, as if we were outside hunting for deer or sneaking around a store in an attempt to steal something.

"Nuh-uh," I said quickly.

"Mikey!" Aaron whined.

"No, I mean I just got a really weird feeling up here," I said.

"Like what? Like something bad?" Aaron asked worriedly.

I tried to focus in on my current emotions. I could necessarily feel anything bad, but the vibe was not that great, either.

"I don't know," I replied, "I just got this really weird feeling of deja vu. I feel like I've seen this attic before."

Aaron was silent for a few minutes. I could see him tense up in the light of his screen.

"You didn't dream it, did you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Well, most attics look alike," he went on.

"No, Aaron. I've never been in an attic before. At least, I don't think I have," I said.

Aaron turned to me and raised an eyebrow, his nostrils flaring. I suppose I wasn't making much sense.

"Let's just get to work," I said, changing the subject.

Aaron shut off his flashlight and we gently made our way across the attic.

"Go ahead and do a sweep. I'm going to start an EVP session. Let's see if we can get some answers," he said.

I turned the full-spectrum camera on and began to snap away as Aaron began to speak with Samantha's ghost.

"Don't forget the bear, Aaron," I murmured.

"Oh yeah!"

I heard a switch being flipped and the bear went off because Aaron was still handling it. I listened as Aaron moved to the far corner and set the bear down.

"Mikes, take a picture in this direction. This is where they left her chained up," Aaron said.

As soon as Aaron moved away from the area, I took a picture of the chains and the bear.

"Are you getting anything?" Aaron asked.

"I'll check it in a minute," I told him.

That seemed to satisfy him.

"Okay, I'm gonna start," he said, "Aaron and Mikey in the attic. Samantha, are you here? My name's Aaron. This is my friend, Mikey."

Aaron waited a second before continuing.

"We aren't here to cause you any harm or scare you. We're hear to hopefully communicate with you and help you move on. Samantha, how did you die? What happened to you up here?"

I went through the settings on the full-spectrum camera to mute the sounds so I could take pictures while Aaron was doing the EVP session.

"Can you tell us what your parents did to you? What your dad did to you?" Aaron asked.

Suddenly, Aaron and I both gasped at what we heard. It had been dead silent, save for Aaron's voices and the very faint sound of my pressing the shutter button on the camera. When we heard what we heard, it startled us.

"Did you fucking hear that?" Aaron exclaimed.

"Uh-huh," I replied.

"That was a growl, Mikey!"  
"Did you get that on the recorder?" I asked.

"I hope so. If not, hopefully we captured it on camera. That was loud!"

I looked over in the direction of the growl and could have sworn I saw something. I took a picture with a full-spec camera. Just as soon as I put the camera back down, the sound of chains could be heard rattling. Aaron, spooked, jumped over to me.

"Do you fucking see that?" he hissed.

"What? Where?" I spluttered.

Aaron turned on his flashlight. He face the light to the ceiling so we could see without spooking whatever was spooking us.

"Samantha, is that you?" Aaron asked.

In the corner, I could have sworn I saw something the size of a kid, but it looked like a creature-a really fucked up creature. I was too shocked to move for a camera.

"Hey, Aaron?" I asked slowly.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"What did Samantha look like?" I asked.

"In the end? A burn victim," he replied.

I lifted an arm and pointed a shaky finger towards the chains.

"Like that?" I asked.

Aaron following my finger and jumped. Thank God! I wasn't the only one seeing that.

"Film it!" I exclaimed.

As soon as Aaron lifted his camera, the apparition growled and jumped us. I was ready to stand my ground, as I had been taught, but Aaron was screaming and yanking on my arm. I then screamed as well and took off for the door.

"Run!" Aaron screamed.

The chains began violently slamming into the floor and they sounded like they were on our heels. Aaron and I nearly jumped out of the ceiling.

"Shut the gosh damn door!" I shouted.

"I'm shutting it! I'm shutting it!" he screamed.

There was a bark from up above, sounding like it was right in the doorway. Aaron and I screamed again and I rushed over to help him shove the ladder and the door back up. When the door was shut, the chain clanging ended and we were left in silence. Both of us collapsed on the floor.

"I don't think...she wanted us...in there," I panted.

Aaron was breathing heavily. He shook his head.

"Zoinks," he said.


	10. A Warning

After our breather, Aaron and I stood to our feet. We had maybe a split second of peace before we heard the sound of footsteps coming from down the hall. With my senses heightened, I immediately jumped.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

Aaron walked up beside me.

"Probably just Nick and Zak. We _did_ scream a little loud," he pointed out.

Ah, shit!

"They probably think we're dying," I said jokingly.

Aaron chuckled. Down the hall, we could hear Zak and Nick yelling.

"Michael! Aaron!" Zak shouted, sounding panicked.

"Where are you guys?" Nick called.

"Around the corner!" Aaron called back.

The footsteps grew louder and faster. Aaron grabbed my jacket sleeve.

"Brace yourself," he said.

Aaron turned on his flashlight and waved it so they boys could see where we were. Another light from someone's flashlight blended with Aaron's before Zak and Nick appeared. Nick stopped and breathed a sigh of relief. Zak's frantic eyes locked onto me, and he was a sudden blur. Before I could say or do anything, Zak was in my face.

"What happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked, his fingers flying everywhere to check for any cuts or bruises.

"Zak, I'm fine!" I said.

Zak sighed and looked over to Aaron.

"You okay, bro?" he asked.

Aaron nodded.

"We're fine. A little spooked. That's all," he replied.

"What the hell happened? We heard screaming," Nick said.

Aaron jabbed a thumb in the direction of the ceiling's attic door.

"Somebody didn't want us up there," he said.

As soon as Aaron said that, a loud bang came from right above us. We all jumped and backed away from the door.

"What the hell was that?" Zak asked.

"Tiny Girl, bro," Aaron replied.

"Aaron, dude, don't call her that. She had a name," Zak said.

"Samantha, then," Aaron corrected.

"What did you guys do to piss her off?" Nick asked.

"Nothing!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak turned and looked at me.

"What happened up there?" he asked.

I just shrugged.

"Aaron and I went up to do a quick EVP session and set up the EMF bear. I was doing a sweep of the attic with the full-spectrum camera," I replied.

"Did you catch anything?" he asked.

"I don't know. I didn't check. We got chased out so fast," I replied.

Zak held a hand out.

"Let me see the camera," he said.

I handed him the requested camera and watched as he brought up the photos I had taken. I hoped he wasn't too disappointed in them. I found that I was not very good at working the little device.  
I perched my chin on his arm as he flipped through the pictures.

"Okay, look here, guys," Zak said.

Nick and Aaron gathered around us. Zak pointed to photo on the screen. In the corner when I had shot a picture of the chains was a mist-like figure.

"There a figure right here. It looks kind of like a child. Nick, are you filming this?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, g," Nick replied.

"Bro! That's where Mikey and I saw her!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak stared wide-eyed at Aaron, then at me.

"You guys saw her?" he squeaked out.

"Yeah, bro! We heard this growl and then she manifested and chased us out of there," Aaron explained.

"Did you guys provoke her?" Zak asked.

"No! We told you what we did!" Aaron exclaimed.

"She wanted us out of there bad!" I spoke up, "She made herself known and went for it."

Zak had this mixed look of terror and excitement in his eyes. His eyes were glistening as he looked over to the boys.

"We're going to have to go back up there later," he said, mischief lacing his voice.

Nick agreed, but Aaron seemed terrified.

"Bro, I'm not going back up there!" Aaron said.

"Yes you are," Zak argued.

"No way!"

"Yes you are, Aaron! Now come on. Mikey, did you sweep the hall already?" Zak asked.

I snapped my fingers.

"Drat! I have yet to find the broom closet!" I said jokingly.

Zak gave me this look. Nick and Aaron laughed at Zak's reaction.

"I know. My jokes suck," I said.

I swear, every time someone said "sweep" I thought of a broom.

"Mikey, let's go do a quick _sweep_ of the hall and the dining room and then your ass is getting locked back out," Zak said.

I laughed. Zak handed the camera back to me and put an arm around my shoulders.

"Come on. Let's go and let Samantha chill out for a minute," Zak said.

With that, we walked back down the hall and I did my sweep as I was supposed to. Nick did an EMF sweep while Aaron filmed. As I took my pictures, I noticed that Zak was focused on the ceiling.

"Do you hear anything?" I asked him before taking another picture.

Zak shook his head.

"I can sense her," he replied.

Huh. I couldn't feel anything.

After our sweep, Zak decided we should go ahead and head down to the dining room. As we left, I felt the need to stop walking. I halted as I tried to figure out what was going on. Figuring that there may be something lurking behind me, I spun around. I saw nothing but darkness. However, I felt something luring back to down the hall-back to the attic.

"Mikey, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Zak asked.

I stared into the darkness of the hallway, ignoring Zak as I tried to focus in on what I was feeling and what was going around me.

"Michael?" Zak asked.

As if there was a rope tied around my wrist, I felt something tugging me back in the direction of the attic. I felt like I should go back-like Samantha needed me.  
Zak walked around to the front of me. My focus on the darkness was broken with a flashlight. I looked up to see Zak's eyes gazing right through mine, searching for any signs of possession or oppression.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I-I don't know," I stammered, "I just had a weird feeling all of a sudden."

"What kind of feeling?" he asked.

"Like...like I was being drawn back to Samantha," I explained-or, at least _tried_ to.

Zak tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes, puzzled. So, I tried to elaborate.

"I don't know how to explain it, Zak. I just felt like I needed to go back and help her-as if she was in trouble or something. Like, I don't know! I felt like I needed to go back there and protect her or something."

Zak looked away from me as his face twisted with thought. His thinking was interrupted by a faint beeping sounding above our heads.

"What's that noise?" Nick asked.

Zak and I looked up.

"That must be that bear I put up there," Aaron said.

Zak took my hand.

"Come on," he said.

With Nick in the lead, I followed the boys downstairs and into the dining room. The room was huge. It reminded me of the formal dining room at my parents' house. Outside, the moon shone in through the two windows on the left side of the room, faintly illuminating the dark wood walls and large oval table. Underneath the farthest window was an old black steel radiator.  
I followed Nick and around the dining room table and took several pictures.

"This is where Bridget was shot, right?" Nick asked Zak, pointing down to the antique appliance.

Zak nodded. He walked up to the radiator, staring down at it with sad eyes. He made a gun out of his fingers and pretended to shoot at the spot beside the radiator.

"Boom," he whispered.

He turned away, becoming more troubled by this part of the investigation.

"I-I-I can't even put myself in that mindset," Zak stammered, then turned to speak into Nick's camera, "Imagine tying your wife to a radiator, a woman that you previously loved and were previously happy with, and shooting her because you were too cowardly to handle another child that may or may not be what you hoped for."

"Or, if I may interrupt," I spoke up.

I walked in front of the cameras.

"Place yourself in Bridget's shoes. Imagine the fear she must have felt at being tied up. She probably not only feared for her own life, by the life of her daughter and unborn child. I know I couldn't handle that," I turned to Zak, "Can you imagine what thoughts were going through her mind when Leon pointed that gun to her head?"

Zak bit his lip and shook his head.

"I don't understand how Leon could so easily do that," Nick said.

"Unless they were already fighting. I mean, how old was Samantha by then? Three years old?" Aaron asked.

Nick nodded.

"At least, man," Nick replied.

I left the frame to finish my sweep while the boys did their investigation. I took shots of all possible angles and positions with both my own DSLR and the full-spectrum camera. After finishing my sweep, I walked back around the table to watch the guys. As I walked near Aaron, who stood the farthest away from Zak as he spoke to the cameras, I heard a noise that made us all jump.

"What the hell?" Aaron asked.

"Shit! Did you guys here that?" I asked.

"What was that?" Zak asked.

"That sounded like a woman," Nick said.

"Mikey, was that you?" Zak asked.

"That wasn't me, I swear!" I said defensively.

"Bro, I heard a woman's voice," Nick said.

"That's what it sounded like to me, too, bro," Aaron agreed.

"That's not what I thought it sounded like," I said.

Zak spun around to look at me.

"What did it sound like to you?" he asked.

I slipped between the boys and walked over to the radiator.

"It sounded like steam coming out of this, but I know this isn't hooked up," I said, running my fingers over the rough metal.

"No, it's not in operation anymore," Zak confirmed.

"Well, that's what I thought it sounded like," I said with a shrug.

"I still think it sounded like a woman," Aaron said.

Zak pulled a digital recorder out of his pocket.

"Let's start an EVP session, guys," Zak said.

Aaron and Nick repositioned themselves while Zak started his EVP session.

"Bridget? Bridget, sweetie, are you here with us?" Zak asked.

I shifted, suddenly feeling nervous. I didn't know why though.

"Bridget, my name's Zak. Can you come talk to me?" Zak went on.

Just as he said that, I felt goosebumps. I raised my arms to look at them in disbelief. I never sensed presences like this before.

"Guys, I have the freaking goosebumps," I said.

All three of the boys turned to me. Aaron swung his camera around to film me. Zak walked over to me to inspect my arms. Aaron suddenly gasped.

"Holy shit, Mikes! I just saw an orb fly straight into your head!" Aaron exclaimed.

I snapped my head up to look at him while Zak took one of arms.

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked.

This shit has happened to me before, and even though I had been well trained and prepared for it, I was beginning to get scared. I had never dealt with orbs before. Orbs meant that these spirits were in flight and could very easily settle themselves inside one of us.

"Yeah, Mikes. Right at your head. It was like this flashing orb of light and it disappeared right against your cheek," Aaron said.

I took a shaky breath. I suddenly felt unsafe in this room.

"I feel weird," I said.

Zak took me by the shoulders.

"Do you want to go back out with Billy? You don't have to stay in here," he said.

I shook my head.

"No, this is too weird. I started feeling weird after you started talking to Bridget. I want answers. Keep talking to her," I said.

Nick smiled at Zak.

"Just like you," he said teasingly.

Zak smiled.

"Well, stay near me, Michael. Maybe she's trying to communicate with you," Zak said.

With that, we all walked back over to the radiator to resume the EVP session. Zak squatted down in front of where I had assumed Bridget was seated when the died.

"Bridget, I just want you to know that we aren't here to cause you any harm. We're just here to talk and perhaps help. Do you want to talk to me or maybe Michael? Would you feel more comfortable speaking to another woman?"

That uneasy feeling of being unsafe increased more so as Zak spoke. I became fidgety and fearful, like there was someone after me. It was the same feeling of terror when I found Zak possessed at Castle Poenari in Romania.

"Mikey, are you okay?" Nick asked.

Zak looked up worriedly at me.

"Yeah, I just...I feel like something is about to pop out of the shadows and shoot me," I said.

Zak was immediately alarmed.

"Shoot you?" he asked.

"Or something," I explained.

Zak stood to his feet.

"Okay, Michael, I would send you out right now, but I think Bridget may be trying to make contact through you somehow," he said.

I held back a groan. I didn't want to be in here any longer. I was literally scared for my life and I had no explanation for it. However, I couldn't make myself leave. Zak's voice was repeating over and over in my head. "Stand your ground. Stand your ground. Stand your ground."  
The air was getting colder as well, and the boys picked up on it.

"Aaron, hand me a thermometer," Zak requested.

Aaron reached into his vest pocket and retrieved a thermometer.

"What was the baseline reading?" Zak asked.

"50 degrees," Nick responded.

"Okay, I'm getting 45 degrees. Holy shit! 42 degrees!" Zak exclaimed.

It was at this moment I felt someone move in front of me. I could see all three of the guys, so I knew that it couldn't be them. I looked in front of me, but saw nothing but the radiator and the window. That's when I felt something lightly poke me in the stomach.

"What the hell?" I screamed and jumped away.

Zak caught me before I could go flying out of the dining room.

"Calm down, calm down. What happened?" Zak asked.

I looked fearfully over at the radiator again.

"Something just poked me in the stomach!"

"Poked you?" Zak asked.

"Like this," I replied.

I demonstrated the feeling my lightly pressing my fingertips into the center of his stomach.

"That light?" he asked.

"Yeah, but it was a weird poke. More like a...swipe. Or even a caress. It was weird," I replied.

Zak held his recorder up.

"Bridget, are you touching Michael? Did you touch her stomach?" he asked.

"Bro, let's review real quick," Aaron suggested.

Zak ended the EVP session and played back the audio. As he did that, I felt the need to curl up and die. Again, I can't explain this. I knew I was safe and nothing could hurt me, unless Leon was coming after me or Samantha attacked me. Holy hell! What if Leon was here and he thought that I was Bridget and I had gotten free of my restraints?  
I shrunk into Zak and began to nervous chew my fingernails. Zak wrapped and arm tightly around me. I tried to keep my breathing under control, but it was hard when I knew that something could come out and get at any second.

"Zak, I'm like, scared shitless right now and I don't know why," I said.

Zak's arm tightened around me.

"You're going to be okay, Mikey. You're safe. Let's play this audio back," he said.

I nodded and Zak pressed Play.

"Bridget? Bridget, sweetie, are you here with us?... Bridget, my name's Zak. Can you come talk to me?..._He's coming_."

"Whoa!" the boys exclaimed.

Zak resumed the playback.

"Bridget, I just want you to know that we aren't here to cause you any harm. We're just here to talk and perhaps help. Do you want to talk to me or maybe Michael? Would you feel more comfortable speaking to another woman?..._Take her home_."

"What?" Aaron asked incredulously.

"Take her home," Zak repeated.

"That's what I heard too, bro," Nick said.

"Take her home? Is she talking to Michael?" Zak asked.

Nick and Aaron shrugged.

"Finish the playback," Nick said.

Zak did so. There was a lot of talking where Zak had paused his session to speak with me, but his last question was accompanied by a disembodied voice. This was right after I had been touched on the stomach.

"Bridget, are you touching Michael? Did you touch her stomach?..._She's not safe_."

Zak ended playback. He exchanged worried glanced with Nick and Aaron.

"He's coming. Take her home. She's not safe," Zak repeated.

I groaned. I felt shaky and even more terrified. This was not like me. I wasn't a total, well, a puss about stuff like this. I was always ready to fight back, and half of me wanted to, but I felt like something else was forcing me to be scared. Was Bridget manipulating my thoughts? Was she channeling her feelings through me?

"Is she talking about Michael?" Nick asked.

"I don't know. Mikey, are you okay?" Zak asked softly.

I glanced up at him and nodded. The more I stayed in Zak's embrace, the more the fear faded. I was beginning to feel that protective feeling I had experienced back in the hallway, except this time, I felt no need to go back to the attic. I felt like I should stay near Zak. There was something else I believed that I should be protected. It wasn't quite Zak and it wasn't really myself. I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Okay, Aaron, Nick, can you guys finish up here? I'm going to call Billy and get Mikey out of here," Zak said.

Nick and Aaron nodded and set to work. Zak held me around the waist and led me out to the foyer of the house.

"That was so weird," I said.

"I know," Zak agreed.

"What do you think she meant?" I asked.

Zak shrugged.

"I have no idea, unless she knew Leon's ghost was coming and she feared that you were in danger. That's my only explanation. At least, for now. We'll see when we go over all of the evidence," Zak said.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked, stroking my cheek with the back of his index finger.

"Yeah, I'm fine now," I replied.

Footsteps sounded from the front porch. We turned to see Billy unlocking the door. I turned back to Zak.

"I'll go ahead and set to work analyzing these and get some of them on the blog," I said.

"Okay, babe," he said.

I reached up and pecked Zak on the lips.

"I love you," I murmured.

Zak pulled me into a hug.

"I love you, too," he said.

We pulled away.

"Stay safe," I told him.

Zak smiled.

"I will," he said.

Zak and I parted and I walked with Billy back out into the cold.

"So, how was in there? Was it crazy?" Billy asked.

I looked over at him.

"Nuts," I replied.


	11. Gloom

Two weeks later.  
Florida.

I walked with the guys down the main strip of town in the bright morning sun. Sunglasses were no match for the 10:00 a.m. brightness. I walked directly behind Aaron in the shade his taller, wider body provided. The guys were in good moods for early morning. They had their bellies full of breakfast and they were pumped for tomorrow night's lockdown. My ass, however, was dragging. I hadn't felt good in the passed few days and had no explanation for it. I was always very careful to keep my hands washed. I kept a bottle of hand sanitizer and a packet of disinfectant wipes on me at all times when I traveled, but my mind did slip. Watch it be that one time I forget to sanitize my hands after getting gas or something that gets me sick! That would be my luck.  
For the passed week, I felt exhausted. I blamed it on a lack of caffeine, and Aaron agreed with me. So, I hit the coffee and pop hard, which is entirely unhealthy and never good for when you travel like we do. But it wasn't like I needed sleep. I didn't feel the need _to_ sleep. This was a different kind of tired. I just felt drained. It was like when you're coming down with a cold and your body starts to slow down on you. That's how I felt. I could gradually feel my body decreasing in performance. I was having a hard time focusing because I was tired, and I had literally no appetite. The exhaustion didn't worry me so much as the loss in hunger. I'm a pig, so when I'm not hungry, something is up.  
I wasn't sure what would be causing it. I thought it may be something as simple as oncoming sinus problems. Perhaps even a developing cold. But I wasn't feeling any cold symptoms, so that was out of the question. I wasn't taking any medication, unless you count the occasional Ibuprofen for a headache, but I hadn't taken one of those in months. So, I thought that maybe it was my acid reflux. I had hit the pop pretty hard, and by now, it was the only thing I wanted in my stomach. Not good. So, I quit cold turkey and just started drinking water and sometimes juice or something. But by the end of the week, I was still not hungry. I skipped breakfast today. The smell of food had been gag inducing, and I was easily able to convince Zak to just let me sleep in. I didn't want to see food, smell food, or even hear about it.

"Hey, Zak! There it is! There's that steak house I've been wanting to try," Nick exclaimed.

He turned to Zak with this brightness in his eyes. He looked like an excited little boy.

"Are they open for lunch? We can try it in a few hours," Zak said.

I audibly groaned and my throat tried to close up on me. I had no idea how I would get out of eating on this one.

"Let's go check," Nick said.

Nick and Zak ran up to the doors of the restaurant to check the hours posted on the front door.

"Damn!" I heard Zak say.

Oh, thank goodness!

"They don't open until four," Nick said disappointedly.

They walked back over to Aaron, Billy and I.

"Well, we can come back tonight. We'll just find somewhere else for lunch," Aaron suggested.

Can we just skip lunch?

"Damn," Billy said, "I was in the mood for some steak."

Zak laughed.

"We can come back later. It's not that far from the hotel. Let's go on up here and see what these stores have and maybe we'll run into a restaurant we all can agree on," Zak suggested.

Deep down low in my guts somewhere, I felt a dull pain coming on. It almost stopped me in my tracks, but as soon as I slowed down and rubbed the area above the pain, it dissipated. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to agree on any restaurant with them. I needed to start thinking of excuses.  
We all began walking again. Zak and Nick walked on up ahead, followed up by Billy, then Aaron, and me dragging slowly behind. If I had felt better, I would have been right up there with Zak, but I was already at my top speed for the day. I didn't even have the energy to walk at their speed. Aaron noticed this, and he stopped for me until I caught up.

"What's the deal, Mikey?" he asked.

I glanced up sideways at him, blinking to keep the sun out of my eyes.

"You usually have your camera out snapping away by now," he continued.

I looked away and shrugged. My mouth was so dry and my throat felt raw. I didn't even want to talk, but I forced myself.

"Haven't seen anything that's caught my eye, yet," I replied, my voice rasping at the end.

Aaron narrowed his eyes at me. He looked concerned, as he should be. I had my camera over my shoulder, and the silhouettes of the boys would have been perfect shots, but I couldn't make myself do it.  
Aaron said nothing more, but he stayed near me as we walked. I leaned against him and he tossed an arm around my shoulders. My eyes trailed over to some concrete steps that led up into a store. I wanted so badly to walk over to them and curl up in a ball and just lay there, letting the cool of the concrete seep through my clothes and into my body. It sounded like heaven right now.  
Later, the boys found a small taco stand and we got some food before we loaded up and headed to the lockdown location. I didn't eat. Zak offered to buy me a taco or burrito, but I turned it down. He was a little aggravated, so I lied and told him I wasn't hungry, but I would definitely be by dinner.

"Michael, you didn't eat breakfast. You're usually the first one complaining that you're hungry by now," he said as he paid for his own food.

"Well, I'm not hungry," I argued.

He glared at me. He knew I was acting weird. I was only stubborn about food when it was something I was really not in the mood for. I really don't think I'd want a taco, even if I was hungry!

"I'm saving room for steak," I lied.

Zak sighed and purchased a lemonade and thrust it into my hands.

"At least drink. You'll be dehydrated," he said.

I sighed and sipped it. My stomach immediately burned when the acidic beverage hit bottom. I threw the thing away before we left in the van.  
Later, while the guys checked out the location and spoke the owner of the building, I curled up in the front seat of the van. Billy was messing around on his phone and finishing his taco.

"You okay, Mikey?" he asked.

I groaned. No, I wasn't. My stomach was on fire and I had the shakes.

"I don't feel good," I grumbled.

"Aw. What's wrong?" he asked.

I felt him shift and shake the van. I was immediately dizzy.

"Nothing," I griped, "Just don't tell Zak, okay?"

Billy was quiet for a moment.

"I won't," he finally replied.

Sure he wouldn't, because it was kind of hard to hide it when I was curled up with my head buried into the door.  
However, Zak said nothing when he got back in. He and the boys were far too pumped about the location to even pay attention to me, and I was fine with that. All I wanted to do was get to the hotel and sleep this off. I was sure I had some sort of virus, and I hoped that if I had to be a slave to a toilet, it was diarrhea and not puke.  
That night, the boys were bouncing off the walls. They were driving Zak nuts, so around six, he announced it was time to go eat. I had fallen asleep on the bed in the hotel room. Zak came in and woke me up in my favorite way, which made me feel a little better.  
I felt the mattress depress near my head and hip and could faintly smell Zak's cologne. Then, he softly pressed his lips to my chapped ones. I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

"Did you have a good nap?" he asked.

I just nodded and sat up. I didn't feel any better, but I didn't feel worse. Is that good?

"Are you ready to eat?"

"Mhmm," I hummed in reply.

Zak thought nothing of my silence as he held my hand and walked with me to join the boys in the lobby. When we stepped outside, it was like a completely different world. Instead of being obnoxiously bright, it was partly cloudy, windy, and the last rays of sunlight were dipping down below the horizon. It was nice out, and it made my stomach settle (for some reason). It didn't last long, however. When the smell of smoking meat hit my nose, it was all I could do to stay on my feet and not kneel over and hurl into the decorative bushes surrounding the lamp posts that lined the sidewalk. I really felt like I shouldn't be eating, but I needed to. I hadn't had anything except for a water yesterday and a sip of lemonade today. I would force myself and if I puked, then so be it.  
When we walked in, we had to wait for a table big enough for the five of us to become available. Jay had not gone with us on this trip because of some other project, so it was just us partying it up tonight. I leaned heavily on Zak's arm. He slid that arm around my waist and gently brushed some hair behind my ear before kissing my hairline. I usually ate it up, but at the moment, I kind of wished he wouldn't touch me. If I really was sick and it was catching, I didn't want him to get sick. But I said nothing. I didn't dare open my mouth.  
When we got our table, I sat beside Zak on the end and across from Nick. I was glad I had an end seat in case I had to book it to the bathroom. I had spotted a neon sign over them as soon as we had entered, so I knew my path in the case of an emergency. The waitress took our drink orders soon after we were seated. Out of habit, I ordered a Coke. I figured it wouldn't matter what I had, since my hypothesis about pop affecting my appetite had been false. My stomach was still burning and my mouth was like the desert. I wanted something cold. That's all I wanted.  
When our orders came, my stomach rolled. When I looked down at my steak, all I could visualize was cow carcass. My bowl of cinnamon apples looked like organs. My baked potato was the only thing that didn't gross me out. It smelled good, though. I was surprised. I had half expected to be revolted by the smell, but I wasn't. It made me mad. It smelled so good and I really wanted to be hungry for it. Damn the bad luck!  
I picked up my fork and scooped the ball of butter out and stirred it into my potato. This is when a new smell it my nose. This smell _did_ gross me out, and it made me put the cup and fork down. I looked across the table to see Billy digging into what looked like steak, but he had other stuff with it. When I squinted and dared take another whiff, I realized he got steak on a bed of nasty onions.  
I leaned an elbow on the table, throwing my manners out the window. I sighed and stirred my apples as I held my head up on a fist. I felt like I couldn't even sit up anymore. My strength was gone! It amazed me and pissed me off how the guys had all of this energy. They were talking, laughing, and just having a good time as they ate. These were classic GAC Good Times developing and I was missing them because my insides hated me. My stomach was slowly starting to swirl, but I made myself stab a cooked apple chunk. I raised it to my mouth, but my throat closed up. My body wasn't having it. Nope. Not today.  
I sat my fork back down and reached for my pop to sip it. It wasn't settling very well. I felt so nauseous-enough to make me think of an escape route. I could head on out to the bathroom now. Maybe my overly sensitive nose would pick up on something foul and make me puke and get it over with. At the moment, with the pain I was in, that didn't sound like the worst idea.

"Ah, man!" Zak complained.

I looked over to see him slice into his sirloin. Juice gushed out everywhere. The guys were laughing as Zak played with his food. My heart rate picked up as my stomach threatened me, and I quickly decided I was done. I reached into my bag and ripped a chunk of cash out of my wallet. I stood and slipped it halfway under my plate. I snitched the hotel key of Zak's jacket pocket and slid my chair under the table.

"Whoa! Hey, what's wrong?" Zak asked.

"Eat. I'm going back to the hotel," I said.

Zak made a noise of protest, but I was already out the door.

Xxx

Zak turned around and glanced at his friends.

"Bro, she wasn't acting right this morning," Aaron said.

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked, "She hasn't been right all week!"

Aaron nodded.

"True," he said.

"She told me she didn't feel good in the van," Billy spoke up.

"Didn't you notice?" Aaron asked Zak.

"Well, yeah, but I didn't want to call her out on it. Sometimes she gets quiet, but she comes right back. Why wouldn't she tell me if she didn't feel good?" Zak asked quietly.

"So you wouldn't fret over her," Nick replied.

"Yeah," Aaron agreed, "She knows you need to stay focused for tomorrow. When one of us are sick, that's all you think about."

"Well...yeah, but it's because I care. I try to help. You guys always come first," Zak replied.

"And Mikey thinks your work comes before her well-being. She has always put you first, bro," Aaron said.

Zak nodded. He remembered back when she and Nick got sick, and she still brought him warm pillows because his had been left in a freezer. He wished he had paid better attention to his wife. If he had, he would have noticed that she was sick.  
Making a quick decision, Zak pushed himself up. Nick pointed a fork at him.

"Don't you dare. Sit and eat. Let her be. If she needs you, she'll call," Nick said.

Zak sighed and reluctantly sat back down. He knew Nick was right. He frequently forgot how independent Michael was, and he knew that she preferred to be alone when she was sick, even though sometimes he wouldn't let her.  
So, Zak went ahead and finished his meal with his phone sitting right beside his plate. He went ahead and paid for his and Michael's food. He saved the money she had left and put it in his pocket to return it to her. He hated her paying for food and such when he could do it. The price of the meal didn't bother him. It was Michael's health that concerned him.

Xxx

I paced around the hotel room for a good half an hour. My stomach was rolling, and I figured that if I moved more, I would be able to puke faster. But I didn't. The only thing I felt was a little nausea and these dull pains that I assumed were in my intestines. I knew sooner or later I would be on the toilet. So I just kept myself moving in anticipation and nervousness. What the hell had I picked up?  
Zak rushed in breathlessly. I figured he probably had ran all the way here. I half expected him to come sooner, but thankfully, the guys had made him stay. I knew he hadn't listened to my order. He never does.

"Hey. What's going on? What's wrong?" he asked.

I looked up at him and rubbed my angry stomach.

"Nothing! I just don't feel good," I complained.

Zak frowned and his eyes went sorrowful.

"Well, tell me. What hurts?" he asked.

He sounded like my mom, back when she cared.

"Nothing really hurts. I mean, my stomach kind of does. I don't know. I've just felt nauseous all day," I replied.

Zak approached me.

"What did you eat?" he asked.

"That's just it!" I said, my voice squeaking from disuse, "I haven't eaten anything. I haven't been hungry in several days. I haven't even eaten since Wednesday night."

Today is Friday.

"Are you serious?" he asked.

"I haven't been hungry!" I argued.

Zak groaned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You must have picked something up, then," he concluded.

I nodded and returned to pacing.

"That's what I thought," I said.

"Are you sure it's not your acid reflux acting up?" he asked.

I sighed and turned back around to him.

"That's what I thought it was. I took some TUMS, but that was a while ago. I still feel sick," I said.

Zak came up to me and grasped my shoulders. I looked down at our shoes.

"Do you need to go see a doctor?" he asked.

I backed away from him.

"Hell no! I'll be fine. If I was going to puke, I would have done it by now," I argued.

Zak raised an eyebrow at me.

"You're arguing with yourself," he said.

I crossed my arms and groaned.

"I know," I said, "There's only one thing it could be. One thing I can think of, anyway."

Zak tilted his head to the side, watching me curiously.

"I could be about to start. It's about time. Sometimes it makes me sick," I said.

Zak nodded thoughtfully. I'm sure he was hoping it was that, too.

"But I thought I would have started by now. Like, a week ago!" I said.

Immediately when I said that, a cramp-like pain spread through my lower abdomen. I pressed my hand above my old scar.

"You're probably fixing to, then," Zak said.

I nodded.

"It's a little late, though. I really should start keeping a calendar," I said.

Zak looked away from me and cringed.

"Sorry," I apologized.

He shrugged.

"It's fine," he said.

I rubbed my stomach.

"Gah! I feel so bloated! I must be fixing to. Come feel this!" I said.

Zak walked over to me and pressed his hand below my belly button.

"It's all hard and shit," I said.

Zak moved his hand and pressed lightly. His eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"That's really weird, sweetie. Do you think maybe it got, I don't know, backed up or something?" he asked and removed his hand.

I smiled, not having the energy to laugh.

"I don't know if that's possible but that's a thought," I said.

Now that I really thought about it, I had expected my period a little over a week ago. When I looked at the calendar, I remembered being happy that I was going to start before our next lockdown so I wouldn't have to deal with it during. However, when it didn't happen, I forgot all about it.

"It's been more like two weeks," I thought out loud.

Zak looked alarmed. My brain kicked into action. Had it really been two weeks? Something was wrong. Had I calculated wrong? It happens. But, this was a recipe for something else. I was late as hell, I felt sick to my stomach...oh fuck!

"Holy shit fuck! Zak, when was the last time we had sex?" I asked.

Zak spluttered and shook his head from the random question.

"What? Fuck if I know!" he exclaimed.

"Zak!"

"I don't know! A month ago, maybe? Maybe a little bit longer," he said.

Shit.

"Why?" he asked.

I felt panic settle in.

"Oh, fuck! Michael!"

I backed up and sat down on the edge of the bed. Zak came down to me and grasped my arms.

"You don't think you might be pregnant?" he asked.

I shook my head. I felt mad and scared and all around freaked out.

"I don't know!" I cried out.

And ready to cry. Fuck...

"Michael, you can't. You told me you were fixed up," he said, his hands moving down to hold mine.

"I am!" I exclaimed and stood back up, "But that was an old surgery. That was years ago. What if something happened and it reversed itself? What if a clamp came lose or something?"

"I would be suing a damn surgeon," Zak said angrily.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to keep from having a panic attack.

"Things like this can happen. I mean, the chances are slim, but it can happen," I said.

"Michael, think for a second. If all this is true, you could very well be a month along already."

"Zak, stop! Just stop! I'm already freaking out!" I snapped.

I regretted that. The look on his face broke my heart.

"I'm sorry. I just...do you know what could happen if I am?" I asked.

Zak walked up to me and wrapped his arms around me. I buried myself in his jacket.

"It's dangerous. Best case scenario is a miscarry," I said.

Things my doctor had told me after my surgery ran through my mind. Miscarriage, hemorrhaging, infection, tears in the uterine wall...

"Michael, stop," he said.

An impending sob welled up in my chest.

"Sweetie, look at me," he said, now in a much softer voice.

I waited a second to keep the tears back, but when I looked up at his worried face, one fell.

"It may be, it may not be. You still could just be sick. Who knows? You could start in the middle of the night and you would have freaked out for nothing. Just calm down," he said.

I nodded and laid my head back down on him.

"Do you want me to run and get a test?" he asked a little bit later.

I let out a loud sigh.

"I don't know. What if it tells me one thing and it's the other. You can't depend on them completely," I said.

"I'll grab the best one I can find. Digital readout and all," he said.

I looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"I guess it's worth a try," I said.

Zak ruffled my hair and kissed me softly.

"Do you need anything else while I'm gone?" he asked, cupping my face.

Now that I thought about it, I was really dehydrated. I would have killed for a popsicle.

"Powerade. In the flavor of blue," I requested.

Zak laughed and was about to ask me something else, but I quickly tacked on something else.

"In slushie form," I added.

Oh God! I am, aren't I?

"I don't know if I can find a slushie one, but I can get a bottle from the store and we could put it in a cup with ice," he suggested.

"Fine," I said.

Zak kissed me once more and forced me to go to bed.

"Don't get up. Sleep if you can. Here's the remote and your phone," Zak said and handed me the items, "Call me if you need me or call the guys. Aaron is right next door."

"Okay. You call me if you're not sure what to get," I said.

Zak smiled and stroked my cheek.

"I will," he promised.

Zak left in a flash, leaving me to my own devices and a new episode of the Vampire Diaries. I turned it. That show was nothing compared to the horrors I've faced.

Xxx

Zak returned some time later with my blue Powerade and a pink box.

"I never thought I would see one of those anywhere near me," I complained.

"I never thought I'd have to be buying one," Zak retorted, jokingly.

I smiled as he tossed me the box.

"You wanna try now?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"My nana always said the morning pee was the one to rely on," I said.

Zak smiled and shook his head. He grabbed the ice bucket off of the counter by the coffee maker.

"I'll be back with your ice. Are you alright?"

I nodded. Still nauseous, but I felt better than I had.

"Okay, sweetie. I'll be right back."

When he came back, he opened up one of the little plastic cups and scooped out some ice. I didn't watch as he poured out the Powerade. I was beginning to get sleepy as I laid snuggled under the sheets.

"Here, baby," he said.

I opened my eyes. Zak sat down beside me and helped me sit up. He held the cup to my lips. I reached my fingers around it and took a sip. It made me want more, and I dove in nose first, wanting to chug it.

"Easy, easy! You don't want to overdo it," he said.

Zak sat the cup on the nightstand.

"You okay?" he asked.

I nodded as I slid back down.

"Do you want anything else before I have my shower?" he asked.

"My pajamas. These jeans are killing me," I said.

Zak went to my suitcase and dug out my Big Steppin sweatpants and a random old t-shirt that I considered to be pajamas. I stripped laying down and redressed laying down. It was more of a chore than it was worth, let me tell you.  
When I was tucked back in, Zak went ahead and took his shower. I sipped my drink and read the back of the test box. I sighed. What had I gotten myself in to?

Xxx

Zak couldn't sleep. He kept thinking of how the following morning would go. He couldn't shake the imaginative look of fear in Michael's eyes if the test came out positive. This was something most married couples would have been thrilled by, but for Michael and Zak, it was like a death sentence. Zak didn't want kids now, but he would have had to have gotten over that, had Michael been able to provide children. But she couldn't, and she didn't want any either. However, Zak had no idea what kinds of medical complications Michael would run into if she was. The doctors must have only been thinking the best when they fixed her, right?  
Zak rolled over to face his sleeping wife. The comforter was laying just at her waist. Zak could see that her t-shirt had raised on one side. He could faintly see the edge of the scar that had caused all of this mess. Zak scooted down and gently pushed the shirt up. The pads of his fingers found their way to the center of Michael's lower abdomen. He knew that Michael's stomach had never been completely flat, but when she was on her back it was. Tonight, Zak could feel a slight bump. He knew that it could quite possibly be bloating, but he wasn't sure from what. However, they had no idea what was really going on, and they wouldn't until morning. Zak knew from the passed with Nick's wife and his sister that this was quite possibly what he and Michael had feared. If so, he feared she was even farther along than they already thought. If that was the case, she needed to see a doctor immediately. The longer they kept this up, the closer she was to a miscarriage, and he would never forgive himself if she had to go through with that.  
Zak lightly pressed on her abdomen. There was absolutely no give. His bit his lip and sighed. He knew.

Xxx

"This is so gross," I said as I walked into the bathroom the next morning.

"Did you read the directions carefully?" Zak asked as he picked up the back and dumped out the paperwork.

"Yes. Now, let me do this really quick," I said.

I shut the bathroom door and set to work. This reminded me of the time when I was little and I got sick and had to pee in a cup. At least this was easier to work with.  
After I was finished, I flushed and sat the lid down with the stick placed on top. I didn't want to look at it or touch it or anything. I left it alone and walked out to wash my hands.

"Where's the test?" Zak asked.

"It's in there," I replied.

I shuffled back off into the room and laid face-first on the bed. I felt like I was laying on something, but when I rolled over, there was nothing there.

"How long does it take?" Zak asked from the bathroom.

"It said five minutes. Just wait," I said.

Zak came out to see me curled up on the bed.

"Still not feeling good?" he asked.

"Nuh-uh," I replied.

"Well, don't psych yourself out just yet. You could just have a bug," he said.

"Zak, I haven't puked or anything. It can't be," I said.

There was a beeping from Zak's alarm on his phone. He looked at his phone, and then worriedly at me.

"Go get it, please," I said.

I felt a cramp coming on, and I couldn't make myself get up. Zak came back in and handed me the stick. He wouldn't look at it. I groaned and took it from him and read it. When my eyes scanned over the read out, my heart stopped.

"Oh shit," Zak said, reacting to the look of shock on my face.

It was positive.

"Goddammit!" I cursed, chucking the stick hard across the room.

Zak sat down with me and pulled me into his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and cried uncontrollably into his shoulder.

"This can't be happening! We should have been more careful!"

"Mikey, there was nothing we could have done. It's just one of those things," he said.

I wanted to make words. I wanted to argue, but I just cried harder. I just cried into his t-shirt. There was one word running through my mind, and it was either that or deal with what kind of havoc this was going to reek on my system. I didn't want to do either.  
I felt yet another cramp twisting insides. Crying was only making it worse. Zak stroked my cheek.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," Zak whispered.

Really, though, I should be the one apologizing. We couldn't keep it. I wasn't capable or healthy enough to carry this child to full term. Surprisingly, that tore me up.

"We'll never see it," I whispered, "There's no way I can carry it."

Zak took a deep breath

"I know, baby," he murmured.

"Hey, Zak?" I asked.

"What, babe?" he asked.

I sniffed and closed my eyes, blindly reaching for his hand. He grasped it tightly.

"You know, I really wouldn't have minded having a baby with you," I said.

I opened my eyes to see that Zak seemed surprised.

"You would have made an amazing dad," I said, then buried my head in his shoulder muffle my crying.

Zak held me tightly and kissed me, his own tears now falling.

"Thank-you, Michael," he whispered, "Look, we have a lockdown tonight. Do you think you can stand one more night here? We'll fly home first thing in the morning and get you checked out, okay?"

I nodded.

"You do what you need to do. Don't even think about me. Just focus on the lockdown," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Zak," I said.

"Okay. Do you want to stay here?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I want to stay near you," I said.

He nodded.

"Okay, sweetie."

Xxx

Zak was all business before lockdown time. He was having a hard time keeping Nick and Aaron's attention on the lockdown, however. They had noticed Michael was still not well, and it worried them. Zak said little about Michael and remained in a serious mood all day. By the time 6:00 rolled around, they were done with the whole mystery.

"Is Mikey okay?" Aaron asked as he handed Zak a microphone pack.

"She's just sick. Let her be. Where's Nick?" Zak asked, trying to change the subject.

"What's wrong? Stomach bug?" Aaron asked.

Zak hooked his pack up to the back of his jeans.

"Erm, yeah. Nick, come here!"

Nick ran up to Zak.

"What's up?" Nick asked.

"Can you take Aaron on in and run over the X cams, please? I have something I need to do and I'll meet up with you guys," Zak replied.

Nick was confused, but nodded and took Aaron on in to the lockdown. Zak waited until they were out of hearing range before he asked Billy to come out of the van. He led Billy away from the van until he was sure Michael couldn't hear him.

"Will you keep a close eye on her tonight?" Zak asked.

Billy nodded.

"Sure. Of course," he said.

"Make sure she has everything she needs. She needs to sleep, so try not to be too loud or anything," Zak said.

Billy shook his head.

"I won't," he said.

"And if she starts feeling worse or she needs me or wants to go home, call me out of the lockdown and you take my spot," he said.

Billy looked worried.

"God, man! Is she really that bad sick?" Billy asked.

Zak sighed and looked away. He really didn't want anyone to know, but he had to tell Billy for him to understand the gravity of the situation.

"She's pregnant, Billy," he whispered.

Billy's jaw dropped. He looked back at the van and then back to Zak. He danced around, not sure whether or not to be excited.

"When did you find out?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"This morning. Billy, listen to me. She can't know I told you that," Zak said.

"You're secret's safe with me. Zak, I thought she couldn't have kids?"

Zak shrugged.

"Something happened. We're taking an early flight home in the morning," he replied.

Billy nodded.

"Well, I'll keep a close eye on her. Don't worry. Just focus on the lockdown," he said.

Zak nodded and gave Billy a quick hug.

"Thanks, bro," Zak said.

He and Billy parted. Zak knew that there was no way in hell he could focus on this lockdown.


	12. Doom

The nausea was gone today. However, the cramping was getting worse. I really wanted a heating pad and something for the pain, but I was scared to take anything. I didn't eat again, but I was able to keep down fluids. I wasn't hungry, anyways. I alternated between water and 7-Up all day. I slept in the back of the van under the table Billy had set up for the monitors. I didn't tell Zak about the pain. I knew I should have, but I couldn't bear to rip him away from the lockdown. I was potentially doing the most stupid thing I've ever done, but I just kept my mouth shut. I assumed the pain was from the bloating as my body was transitioning. It never occurred to me that I could already be miscarrying. I did some research on my phone while the guys were doing their walkthrough. I couldn't match anything to the symptoms I was having except for things that were normal, such as nausea, fatigue, and even cramping. Maybe now I was really psyching myself out.  
Around lockdown time, I was starting to get sleepy. The pain was steadily getting worse, but I was too tired to pay much attention. Zak came in to check on me before lockdown.  
He gently climbed in through the back of the van and sat down in front of me. I opened my eyes as he stroked my cheek.

"It's lockdown time," he said, sad undertones his voice.

"Good luck," I said, using all my strength to speak in a voice louder than a whisper.

"Are you sure you want me to go ahead and do this?" he asked.

I nodded. Zak still looked doubtful. I pushed my cheeks up into a smile to mask my own uncertainty. Zak leaned down and kissed my forehead.

"I told Billy to keep an eye on you. If you need me or you decide you don't want to be here, I asked him to take my spot and I'll stay with you," he said.

I wanted to argue with him, but I was in far too much pain to do so.

"Okay," I whispered.

Zak leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. I had very little strength to kiss back, and he noticed this. I could see the worry in his eyes.

"I'll be fine," I croaked out.

I gave him a reassuring smile. I'm sure I didn't look anywhere close to fine.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too, Zak," I whispered.

"I'll see you in the morning," he said.

I nodded. Zak gave my shoulder a soft squeeze in place of a hug. I could see the torture he was in to pull himself away. He only was able to move when Billy reentered the van. I waited until he was out of sight before I fell asleep. I could only imagine what kind of battle was going on in his mind.  
Xxx

Nick and Aaron forgot about the X cams as soon as they entered the house. They both were hiding in the curtains, watching Zak speak with Billy alone on the grass.

"What do you think is going on?" Aaron asked.

Nick shook his head.

"He seems really worried about her," he went on.

"I am, too. I don't think he needs to be doing this lockdown. He needs to take her to a doctor. He's not going to be in the right place mentally. It's going to make him vulnerable," Nick said.

"Well, maybe he's just tired. Perhaps she was up all night sick and he was up with her?" Aaron wondered.

Nick shook his head again as he watched Billy hug Zak.

"Oh, nuh-uh. This is something different. I just don't know what," Nick said.

He had a feeling he knew what was going on, but he didn't understand how.

Xxx

I woke up to the sound of Billy's voice. I opened my eyes to see a dimly lit van and Billy's shoes. Apparently, Billy had seen something on the monitors and was trying to relay it as quietly as possible to the guys via walkie-talkie. It was no use. I was up.

"Bill," I said, tugging on his jeans.

Billy scooted back and leaned down to look at me.

"What is it, Mikey?" he asked.

"Shut up," I grumbled.

Billy just smiled.

"I'm sorry. I heard a voice on the real time recorder. I was just telling Zak. I didn't mean to wake you," he said.

I closed my eyes again.

"That's alright," I said, "What time is it?"

I heard Billy pick up his phone. I opened my eyes again to see.

"Just now 2:30 in the morning," he replied.

I swallowed and closed my eyes. I had slept longer than I thought.

"Good," I replied.

"Do you need anything? More water, maybe?" he asked.

"I'm good," I said quietly.

"Okay. How are you feeling?" he asked.

I focused on my internal pains. They weren't as bad as they had been. Maybe I was overcoming this. Maybe I would be fine.

"A little better," I replied.

Billy nodded.

"Do you want Zak? I know he's worried sick about you," he said.

I smiled and shut my eyes, ready to go back to sleep and get rid of this horrible cramping.

"No, I'm okay. How are they doing? Are they getting anything good?" I asked, turning the attention off of me.

"Oh yeah! Aaron and Nick both got some sick EVPs. Nick said he caught an orb flying into the back of Zak's head. It's been pretty active. Right now, Aaron is up in the attic and Nick is in the kitchen experimenting with a trigger object. Zak is off camera right now," he replied.

"Why?" I asked.

"He's texting me to see how you're doing," Billy laughed.

I groaned and rolled my eyes.

"Billy, can you do me a favor?" I asked.

Billy leaned back down to look at me under the table.

"Sure, Mikes," he chirped.

"Can you please tell Zak to quit being a pain in the ass and get back to work?" I asked.

Billy burst out laughing.

"Can do," he said.

I could hear him clicking away on his phone as he texted Zak.

"Amazing. Even when you're sick as a dog, you're still putting our asses in place," Billy said.

I laughed a small but audible laugh and reached my hand down to rub my stomach as the cramps gained strength again. The bloating I had felt was now more pronounced.  
While Billy was preoccupied, I shifted my waistband of my soft shorts lower and saw a protrusion beneath my belly button. I placed my hand over it and lightly pressed. I could feel the swollen organ beneath push my other organs back. I removed the pressure and lightly traced my fingers over it. I felt Zak last night touching it. He knew even before we were certain. Had he changed his mind about his view on kids? I had no clue, but that precious boy didn't deserve any of this. After all of the bullshit in his life, he didn't need this cruel tease. I could imagine his face-all the pain and sadness...God! He stroked it for a good hour as I pretended to sleep. I now had a promise of my own I couldn't keep for him.

"_Pain in the ass! Just like your daddy_," I thought.

I fell into a restless sleep after that, only to dream in pictures. I knew I had probably cried in my sleep, because it was the saddest dream I had ever had. I saw stills of Zak smiling as he sat in a hospital chair, holding a tiny bundle of human. I could see him, with those massive arms holding a tiny, blue-eyed baby as he kissed it's tiny head. I could see Gracie looking to see what the hell we would brought home. That one still, however, of him kissing it I knew had me crying in my sleep. There was no hell quite like this.

Xxx

When I woke up again, we were back at the hotel and Zak was packing our things into a cab. The cramping, which yesterday would grow and subside like any normal cramping, was becoming constant now. It would rise in fall in strength, but there were no brief moments of relief. I thought maybe if I stood up and walked around, they would chill out, but straightening my body out felt even worse than remaining doubled over. Zak carried me to the cab.  
We said a quick goodbye to the Crew and set off for the airport. I felt like I was going to die. I had no idea how I even survived the plane ride, but I did. I don't know what it was about the flight. Maybe the air pressure and the altitude helped, or maybe they were actually calming down, but either way, I hoped it would stay away long enough to reach home.  
When we landed in Las Vegas, however, they quickly returned, this time much worse than they had been. My entire pelvis felt like it was going to shatter. I felt so swollen around my entire midsection. My hips were stiff from the plane ride. I kept pushing myself to walk it off. I thought it and made it my mantra as we retrieved our bags.  
As Zak grabbed our bags, I felt a wave of intense heat and then dizziness wash over me. My equilibrium was thrown off and I felt like I was going to pass out. I grabbed Zak's bicep and caught myself.

"What is it, Michael?" he asked worriedly.

I looked up at him through blurry vision. The pain twisted and tightened inside me.

"Take me to the emergency room. Right now!" I commanded.

Zak wasted no time. He helped me to the Bentley in the garage and sped out of the airport like a crazy person. I doubled over and clutched my stomach. I kept thinking something was going to happen and I was going to miss and bleed all over the car, but we made it to the hospital before anything could happen.  
Everything happened in a flash. I could only hear, since I couldn't open my eyes for how much pain I was in.

"She's pregnant," I heard Zak say.

"How far along?" a nurse asked as they seated me in a wheelchair.

"I don't know. We only found out yesterday. We couldn't make it home until today. We just came from the airport," Zak explained.

"What is your relation? Are you the father?" the nurse asked.

"Yes ma'am. She's my wife," he replied.

"Okay, come with me. We'll take an ultrasound," she said.

They wheeled me through the corridors of hell. This hospital was a lot larger than the last one I was stuck in. Looked a lot newer, too, but smelled of that signature odor all the same. With my nose being even more sensitive, it was hard to handle. I had to breathe out of my mouth.  
They wheeled me in and gave me some shot after laying me out on a bed. I don't know what it was, but I felt my midsection go numb. Hallelujah! No pain!

"Did you say you found out this morning?" the nurse questioned Zak as he held my hand.

"Yes. She had one of those stick test things," he said.

Oh, how typically male does that sound?

"Okay. What is your name, sir?" she asked.

"Zak Bagans," he replied.

"What's your wife's name?" she asked.

"Michael Bagans," he answered.

I opened my eyes to see the nurse with a clipboard.

"Michelle?" she asked.

"Michael. M. I. C. H. A. E. L.," I spelled out for her.

Zak turned to me, looking relieved that I was conscious.

"Hey, sweetie. You're going to be okay, alright? They're just going to do an ultrasound. See what's going on," he said reassuringly.

I nodded. Zak stroked my forehead and combed his fingers through my hair while the nurse squirted the lubricating gel across my abdomen.

"Mrs. Bagans, can you tell me what's been going on?" the nurse asked.

"Well," I began, "I haven't been feeling well all week. The other day I started feeling sick to my stomach. I had no idea I was pregnant. I shouldn't be. I had my tubes tied four years ago."

The nurse looked alarmed.

"Oh my. Okay, and your husband said you were complaining of severe abdominal cramping?"

"They started Friday. What's today?" I asked.

"Sunday," Zak replied.

"Okay. And since then, it's just gotten worse and worse," I finished.

"Do they feel like menstrual cramps?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Ten times worse, though," I said.

She nodded as she ran the wand across me.

"Well, it seems here that a clamp did indeed slip," she said.

"Dammit," I hissed.

"And your uterine lining, according to this, is severely damaged," she said, sounding very worried.

"She was stabbed. The doctors told her she would miscarry every time, so they tied her up," Zak replied for me.

"Well, they were right. It's a miracle you were able to carry this far," she said.

Zak and I shot the nurse a look. What did she mean by "this far?"

"I'm going to go bring the doctor in here right away," she said.

She was out of the room in a flash. I looked over at Zak. I shakily reached for his hand. He took it, his fingers strangely ice cold.

"I'm scared," I whispered to him.

Zak nodded and kissed my forehead.

"Me too, babe. Me too," he said softly.

The nurse brought in a doctor and showed him the ultrasound.

"Oh God," he said, "Okay. Mr. Bagans? I need you to come out here. I need to speak with you. Alison, can you quickly take her temperature and prep her for surgery, please?"

SURGERY?

"No! Zak, stay! Please! I don't want to go in there! No!" I pleaded, panicking.

I felt like Elliot in _E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial_, when both he and E.T. were sick and Elliot was screaming for E.T. as the alien began to lose consciousness.

"We'll bring him right back," the doctor said.

I reached for Zak, but he was already out of reach.

"Mrs. Bagans, stay calm, please," the nurse said flatly as she pushed me back down.

When I heard the door shut, I wanted to die.

Xxx

"Mr. Bagans, your wife is seven weeks pregnant," the doctor stated.

Zak's jaw dropped. He had no idea Michael had been anywhere near that far. He thought at the worst, it was four. He was hoping for even less.

"I'm assuming you were not aware," the doctor concluded.

"I don't even think she knew!" Zak said.

The doctor nodded.

"Well, her uterus is not in any condition for reproduction. It was a good precaution to have her tubes tied, but there is always a slim chance that something could malfunction. It is just unfortunate that this has happened. The clamp is not the cause for her pain, however. It's the fetus itself. I'm honestly shocked that she made it this far without miscarrying."

"Me too," Zak quietly replied.

"We are going to perform emergency surgery before anymore damage is caused. I'm going to go in and cut and cauterize so this will not happen again," the doctor continued.

Zak nodded.

"It is for her own safety. She will never be able to have children," he went on.

"I understand," Zak replied.

"And I regret to inform you, but this surgery will lead to the termination of the pregnancy. There is nothing we can do to save it," he said.

Zak nodded understandingly. He hated this. With all the hell she had been through, Zak felt this was the worst.

"I'm sorry. You may go ahead and go speak with her before we take her in," the doctor said.

Zak thanked the doctor and ducked back into the room. They now had Michael on a gurney and dressed in a hospital gown. Zak felt heartbroken at hearing the news, and he feared how Michael would take it.

Xxx

"I'll give you two a minute," the nurse said.

Zak pulled up a chair, kneeled beside me and took my hand. He bit his lip and blinked several times before speaking.

"Michael, did she tell you that you were seven weeks along?" he asked.

I felt my heart stop.

"What?" I whispered.

That was almost two full months of not knowing! How could I have not known?

"She told me what they were going to do, but she didn't tell me that part!"

"The doctor told me. I don't know if he wanted you to know or not, but I thought you had the right to know," he said.

I didn't reply. I just shook my head as tears poured freely down my cheeks. Zak buried his face in the crook of my neck. I could faintly hear a cry escape him.  
I reached down and placed my hand over the bump. I knew when I woke up again, it would be gone forever. I had never in my life wanted kids, but I had this weird feeling of elation and fascination with this thing. At least I got to experience it a little bit during my life.

"I'm so sorry, little one," I whispered to it.

Zak raised his head and placed his much larger hand over the bump.

"I had been kind of looking forward to seeing you, too," he said.

Zak stood and pushed back the covers to kiss the top of the bump. I was bawling my eyes out now. Zak replaced the covers and kissed me.

"I love you so much. I'll be right here when you wake up, okay?"

I nodded.

"Stay strong. We'll make it through this. I promise," he said.

He reached down and hugged me.

"Zak, I can't do this," I cried.

"Yes, you can. Mikey, sweetie, look here," Zak said and cupped my face.

I obeyed.

"You are my hero. You are so much stronger and braver than I will ever be. You have it in you. You can do this. And the Crew will be here to support you. You're not alone," he said.

I nodded.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked.

"Anything, sweetheart," he said.

"Call the twins?" I asked.

"I'll fly them out here, if you want," he offered.

I nodded.

"Okay. Rest now. I'll see you in a few hours," he said.

Zak kissed me goodbye and left me in the hands of the hospital staff. I left my hand on the baby bump until I fell asleep. I wanted that feeling to be forever burned into my memory. The feeling of something inside of me-his potentially beautiful baby. I never wanted to forget the feeling of Zak's lips against it. Bye-bye, beautiful.

Xxx

Zak ran out into the parking lot as rain started to pour down, and locked himself in his car. It was then that he let himself cry as hard as he would have liked to do in the hospital, but he didn't want Michael to see. He had wished they could have prevented this. It was as easy as birth control or a condom. They didn't think about it, but the surgery was supposed to hold.  
Zak blamed himself, blamed the world, blamed Michael's bad luck, and wished her ex to hell for causing this problem.  
Zak picked his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number he knew all too well. He saw that he had several missed calls from the guys and a million texts, but he didn't care.

"Hello, Zak."

"Mom?" Zak asked.

His voice wavered. His mother instantly knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" she asked worriedly.

"I need you, Mom. Can you come out to the hospital?" Zak asked.

"Let me find my keys. Zak, what happened?"

Zak sighed and bit back tears.

"It's Michael," he replied.

There was a gasp from the other end.

"I'm on my way, son."


	13. The Wait

Nick had just said goodbye to Aaron and Billy and boarded his plane back to New Hampshire. It was late afternoon in Florida. The remaining Crew had spent the day sleeping and recovering at the hotel before traveling to the airport to catch their flights.  
Nick sat heavily in his seat and pulled out his phone to check for calls and messages before the flight attendants asked that the passengers turn off their electronics and buckle up. All afternoon after he woke up, Nick wondered if he should maybe call Zak and see what was going on. He also wondered if maybe he should just go ahead and take the flight to Las Vegas with Aaron and Billy and call his wife and tell her what was going on. After speaking with Aaron and Billy, he made the decision to go ahead and go home. They had a two and half week break before their next lockdown, so he could easily take a plane to Vegas next week if he needed to. He was itching to call, but something was telling him to just wait. It was a good six or seven hour flight from Florida to Las Vegas, depending on whether or not all of the connecting flights were on time. Las Vegas was also three hours behind of where they were now. So, it was already nearly four o' clock in Nevada. Nick knew that Zak and Michael had probably just landed in Vegas, so now was not the best time to try and get a hold of them. He would wait until tomorrow.  
Nick decided to preoccupy himself by checking his social networks and see what was going on with others. When he opened up Twitter, his heart jumped in his throat.

"**Zak Bagans** Zak_Bagans  
Please keep Michael in your prayers."

Forgetting to keep himself from contacting Zak, he quickly called. There was no answer. So, Nick left a voicemail and then sent Zak several worried texts. Not long afterwards, Aaron texted Nick.

"_Bro, whats goin on? Have u heard from Zak? I can't get a hold of him! Neither can Billy._"

Nick quickly replied before he was to turn his phone off before take-off.

"_I'm guessin you were on Twitter? I haven't heard anything. We'll just have to wait, g._"

After that, Nick turned his cell phone off and slipped it into his jeans pocket. As the plane became airborne, Nick closed his eyes and silently prayed.

"_Please let her be alright_" he thought.

Xxx  
6:00 P.M. Central Time

Billy and Aaron were high over Oklahoma. They cringed when they heard their location. They had been trying to keep their minds off of their crew photographer. After the announcement of where they were, they forgot to keep themselves distracted.  
Aaron reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out, checking it for the hundredth time in the passed three hours.

"Heard anything?" Billy asked.

Aaron growled in frustration.

"No! Dude, I'm gonna call him again," he said.

As Aaron's thumb went to scroll for Zak's name, Billy grabbed his wrist.

"Bro, don't. Just leave him be. We've sent him multiple texts and called him several times. He'll see them and reply eventually," Billy said, trying to reassure Aaron.

Aaron watched Billy worriedly. He wanted to disobey and call Zak anyways, but he knew that Billy was probably right.

"Fine!" Aaron groaned.

Billy let go of his friend's wrist and watched as Aaron slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"Sorry," Aaron grumbled, "I'm just worried about her."

Billy frowned and patted Aaron's shoulder. He had not told a soul Zak's secret, and as much as he wanted to enlighten Aaron, he knew better. It was only right that Zak tell them.

"She'll be alright," Billy said, but even he was doubtful.

When Aaron settled down and fell asleep, Billy slipped his earbuds into his ears and leaned back, watching fields of farmland and clouds slowly pass by. He wasn't showing it and he wouldn't say it, but he was terrified for Michael. Something was terribly wrong. He could tell just by Zak's behavior alone. Michael had been sick before, but she was still up and running around. It was no surprise that Zak was attentive to her, but it seemed that every minute he had free, he was right by her side. When Zak finally told Billy what was going on, he knew that her condition was worse than he had previously thought.  
The previous night, after Michael fell asleep again, Billy was listening to the real-time recorder when he heard a strange sound. At first, he thought it was coming from inside the lockdown. He marked the time when he heard the sound and removed his headphones to call Zak on the walkie-talkie. Just as he was about to hit the call button, he heard the noise again. It was coming from where Michael was under the table. When Billy scooted his chair back and looked down, he found Michael doubled over on her side, crying. He knew from the time she had a night terror at Aaron's that she cried in her sleep, but Billy had to make sure she was asleep. He said her name a few times, and when she didn't stir, he confirmed she was out. At this, he felt terrible for her. He had no idea what she was dreaming, but he figured it could only be the worst.  
Billy sniffed and shifted in his uncomfortable seat. Sorrow settled deep within his chest. He wondered what was going to happen to Michael. Would she be alright? What harm would this do to her? And what about Zak? How was he taking this? How were they going to handle the loss of a child if it came to that?  
Billy closed his eyes and shook his head free of those thoughts before he got himself upset. He felt terrible for both Zak and Michael. They had only been married for three months and shit was already starting. What would this do to their marriage? He didn't think it would rip them apart, but things would be different after this, whether Michael was fine or not.  
Billy bit his lip. He knew he could never handle a situation like this. Zak was new to all of this, and it was going to crush him. Billy made a mental note to call as soon as he landed in Vegas. He knew Zak would talk to him.

Xxx  
5:00 P.M. Vegas Time

Zak sat in the waiting room and filled at the paperwork for Michael on the clipboard the receptionist had handed to him. Upon finishing, he stood and turned the information back in at the front desk. The lady behind the counter thanked him and took the clipboard. Zak turned around and slowly walked back to his seat. His tired eyes scanned over the people in the waiting room. There were all kinds of people waiting for their loved ones and friends to come out of their own surgeries. Zak thanked God that the room was large and had several places where he could sit alone. He wanted to stay in the waiting room in case someone needed to speak with him or update him on Michael, but he would gladly have stayed in the car if he had to sit with other worried people. Just the ambiance of the room set him on edge.  
Zak returned to his solitary seat near a vending machine and dug his phone out of his pocket. There were still many unread messages, neglected voicemails, and many missed calls. He felt like a dick for not responding and only communicating once on Twitter, but he couldn't face anyone right now. He wanted to speak with no one. The only person he wanted was his mom. He didn't care how old he was, he still needed her.  
A door clicked open, making all the anxious people, including him, jump. Everyone was waiting for an update, but the room collectively sighed when only a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a flowy blouse, jeans, and holding a high-dollar purse came rushing through the door. When Zak's brain recognized the woman as his mother, he jumped from his seat and ran over to her. He didn't care what kind of a scene he was making. Nothing mattered to him at this point.  
Zak wrapped his arms around his mom and cried into the top of her head. His mom instantly hugged her son and tried to console him.

"Sweetie, please tell me she's alright. Tell me she's not dead," she said.

Zak pulled back to speak to her. He wiped his eyes and nose.

"No, she's not dead," he said.

His mom breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank God! Well, let's go sit down. Tell me what happened," she said.

Zak took his mom's hand and walked her over to where he had been sitting. They sat beside each other, his mom holding both of his hands now.

"It's a really long story," Zak warned her.

"When did Mikey go in to surgery?" she asked.

Zak looked at his watch.

"About thirty minutes ago," he replied.

"Then I'm sure we have a few hours. Tell me," she said.

Zak took a deep breath. Neither him, nor Michael, or even the twins had told his mom about Michael's unfortunate accident with her ex-boyfriend and a bread knife. Zak proceeded to tell that story, before he told his mom that Michael had been feeling sick, and then how they feared she could be pregnant, the test, and everything up to where he spoke with Michael before she went in. By the end of the story, his mom was in tears.

"Mom, don't cry. Please," Zak pleaded.

His mother wiped away her tears and smudged mascara.

"I'm sorry, Zak. You know how I get," she said.

Zak half smiled and hugged his mom.

"I'm scared, mom," he said softly.

His mom patted his back.

"I know, sugar," she said, then gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "I am, too. But she'll be alright. There's no need to worry."

Zak pulled away and watch his mom carefully. He knew she was only saying that to make him feel better.

"Have you called her cousins?" she asked.

Zak looked down at his hands and shook his head.

"Well, honey, you need to call them and get them out here. What about the boys? I'm sure they're worried sick," she said.

"I haven't told them," Zak said lowly.

His mom was shocked.

"What?" she hissed.

"They knew she was sick. Billy's the only one who knew she was pregnant. They don't even know we went to the emergency room," Zak replied.

"Now, Zak. That's not fair," she said.

"Well, I didn't want them distracted on the lockdown. One person distracted is dangerous enough, mom," he said.

His mom sighed, knowing her son was probably right. However, she still wished he would have told his friends as soon as Michael went in. Zak knew he should have called, but for a while he couldn't even shut off his crying, much less speak.

"Zak, while don't you step out and call the twins. I'll come get you if anything happens, okay?"

Zak nodded and stood. He slowly left the waiting room and out into the hallway. He then pulled his phone out and scrolled through his contacts list. He knew Dallas was two hours ahead Vegas, so he hoped that at least one of the twins wasn't busy.  
Zak tried Volta first. The oldest of the two twins was the one that handled crisis situations better. He was the one that informed Zak of Michael's severe abuse and possibly understood the gravity of the situation better.

"Hey, Zak!" Volta answered cheerfully.

"Hey, man," Zak said, "Are you busy?"

"Nope! Just picking up some dinner. What's up?" Volta asked.

Zak exhaled heavily.

"What's going on?" Volta asked nervously.

Zak began to nervously pace. Talking to Volta was almost like talking to an older brother, or even Michael's father (even though Zak had never spoken to either of Michael parents and never wanted to). Volta watched his cousin and always protected her. Hell, he was the one who walked her down the aisle! Zak had no idea how to break this to Volta.

"I don't even know where to begin," Zak said.

"What's wrong, man? Is it Michael?" Volta asked.

Zak sighed.

"Yeah, it's Michael," he replied.

"Well, what happened? Is she okay?" Volta asked, the pitch of his voice raising with his worry.

"I don't know at this point. We're at the hospital," Zak replied.

"Hospital?" Volta exclaimed, "Oh my God! Was there an accident on a lockdown or something?"

"No, not that. Volta, you have to promise me you won't hate me. It wasn't my fault. I mean, technically it was, but that's not the point," Zak rambled.

"What is the point, Zak? What's wrong with my cousin?" Volta asked demandingly.

The dark tone in his voice scared Zak. Volta may have a sweet disposition and may be tiny, but he was also two inches taller than Zak and nearly just as strong. He was not built up like Zak, but he had seen Volta's arms and knew he used to be a track runner, like Nick. There would be no stopping Volta if Zak got on the wrong end of him.

"You know how she had her tubes tied?" Zak asked, then slapped himself for the stupid way he had delivered the question.

"Yeah?"

"Well, it reversed itself. It's complicated and I don't have all the details yet, but the other day she started feeling sick. We took a test...and it...it came out positive, Volt."

Volta didn't reply.

"She was having bad cramping and she couldn't eat anything. We flew home as soon as we could and she almost collapsed in the airport," Zak explained further.

"Are you serious?" Volta asked.

"Yeah, she told me to take her to the E.R. They did an ultrasound and rushed her into surgery," Zak said.

"Why?" Volta asked.

Zak could tell the twin was beginning to get more and more upset.

"Volt, she was seven weeks pregnant. We didn't know until yesterday," he said.

Again, Volta went silent.

"I-is she okay?" Volta stuttered.

"I don't know. But look, she asked me to call you and Nikola and have you guys come out here if you can. I'll pay you guys for the flight. I wouldn't ask you to pull away from your jobs for this but she really needs her cousins," Zak said.

"Of course! I'll call Nikki and we'll be on the next flight out there," Volta said.

"Thanks, man. I'm really sorry for all of this," Zak apologized.

"Don't worry. We'll see you soon. Call me if anything else happens," Volta said.

"I will, man," Zak promised, swallowing a lump in his throat.

He really hoped he wouldn't have to call again.

After saying their goodbyes, Zak hung up. He was going to walk back into the waiting room when his phone buzzed with a text message. Assuming it was Nikola, Zak looked at his phone. He was surprised to see that it was Billy.

"_Call me ASAP. Aaron and Nick are going insane. Is the baby going to be ok?_"

Zak yanked his head away from the phone when his eyes scanned over the "B" word. Tears once again pricked his eyes.  
Zak called Billy. Just from the background noise, Zak could tell he was still on an airplane.

"Oh my God! I've been worried sick about you, bro!" Billy answered.

"I'm fine. Physically, anyways. Did you tell Aaron and Nick?" Zak asked.

"No. I kept your secret, bro. What's going on? They've been freaking out over your Tweet," Billy said.

"I shouldn't have done that, I guess. But Mikey's in surgery right now. I'm at the hospital with my mom," Zak said.

"My God, Zak! What's wrong with her?" Billy asked.

Zak proceeded to tell Billy all he knew. By the end of it, he was having a hard time keeping his voice from shaking.

"The baby is gone," Zak whispered.

"Dude, I'm so sorry. So, so, sorry. I wish there was something I could do, man. Do you want Aaron and I to come out there when we land? We'll be home around ten or so," Bill suggested.

Zak figured Michael would be in recovery by then.

"Yeah, I guess so. You guys don't have to. They may not let you see her," Zak said.

"Well, we still want to be there for you, bro. I know this is hard," Billy said.

"Yeah," was Zak's reply.

"Is there anything you need for us to do? I could run by and pick Gracie up for you and let her play with Sophie. I know you're going to wanna stay up there for the night," Billy suggested.

"That would be fine. Could you go ahead and fill Nick and Aaron in? I'm getting tired of telling the story," Zak said.

"Sure, bro. Anything else?"

"Nah," Zak replied, "Look, I've gotta go. I'll call you when she gets out of surgery."

"Okay, man," Billy said.

The two said their goodbyes and hung up. Zak then walked back into the waiting room, feeling slightly better than he had. Talking to Billy somehow always put him in a better mood. However, when he sat down beside his mom, that better mood faded.

"Is it possible if the twins stay with you? I want to stay up here until Michael is released," Zak said.

His mom patted his knee.

"Sure, honey," she said.

They went quiet for a while. Zak's eyes scanned over the table in front of them. Old magazines were scattered all over it. A parenting magazine sat on top, an expecting, smiling couple staring at him-teasing him. Zak reached a foot onto the magazine and angrily sent it flying, tearing the cover off in the process.  
His mother hugged his arm and patted his hand.

"You really wanted to see this baby, didn't you?" she asked.

Zak looked down at his mother.

"I hate kids. I never wanted to be a parent. Michael didn't either," he said.

"Well, maybe this is a blessing in disguise, honey. You two didn't have time to raise a child. She would have to quit work and stay home all the time," his mom said.

"I know. That would have killed her," Zak said.

The two went quiet again before Zak broke the unbearable silence.

"Still, I kind of wanted this," he said.

The clock on the wall struck 6:00 P.M. He was sure the surgery was well underway now.

"_Bye, sweet little one_," Zak thought.

Xxx

9:00 P.M.

Zak had fallen into a restless sleep nearly an hour after he returned from making his phone calls. His mother was alternating between her cell phone and home and garden magazines. Every once in a while, she would hear Zak's phone buzz with calls and messages. She had snuck his phone out of his pocket to see if she could somehow reply to the impatient people, but Zak had a passcode set up. She gave up and returned the phone to her son's jacket pocket.  
A door beside the front desk opened and a doctor in pea green scrubs with a mask dangling around his neck came out.

"Zak Bagans?" he asked, mispronouncing "Bagans."

Zak's mother shook him awake. Zak snorted awake and looked around wildly.

"Sweetie, it's the doctor," she said.

Zak jumped to his feet and rushed over, his mother following after him.

"Is everything okay? Is my wife alright?" he asked.

The doctor smiled and nodded.

"Yes, she's fine. Please, follow me. She's just been moved to her room," he said.

Zak and his mother followed the doctor through the door and down the halls up into an elevator.

"Michael was in more of a mess than we previously thought. She was extremely dehydrated and running a fever from the infection in her womb," the doctor began to explain, "I assume she had not eaten much before."

Zak shook his head.

"No, she couldn't eat. She had fluids, though. Whether or not she actually drank them, though," Zak said.

"She probably didn't from what we could tell. But the fetus attached itself to the damaged wall and caused a very serious infection. She was on the verge of miscarrying when you brought her in. It's a good thing we operated when we did."

Zak nodded in response.

"But we went in and removed the fetus and removed a lot of the infected tissue. Then we cut and cauterized so she's good to go. I am prescribing an antibiotic that will help flush the infection out of her system. Her temperature is back to normal, but it could rise again. I'm also prescribing a very, well, _good_ dosage of painkillers. She'll love them."

Zak smiled at that. After days and days of pain, he knew Michael would think them a godsend.

"I want to keep her here for a few days. She won't be lucid for maybe a day or so, so don't expect much out of her."

Zak nodded again.

The elevator opened and they walked out into a hallway lined with rooms. Zak was having flashbacks of Linda Vista Hospital. His skin crawled.

"When you take her home, she needs two weeks to recover. No driving or work," the doctor said,

"Not a problem," Zak reassured.

"She'll probably be up and around on the second week," the doctor went on.

Zak smirked.

"_Give her two days_," he thought.

"Make sure she drinks plenty of water. No alcohol and no tobacco. She doesn't need to be eating anything spicy or fried. Not even dairy, if she can help it. Just soft, monotonous foods. She can have broth, ice cream, jello, and the like. Later, you can try soup. She probably won't have an appetite for a while, but she needs to eat. She's malnourished," he said.

Zak nodded understandingly.

"She doesn't need to be having a bath. Just a sponge bath until we remove the stitches. And I think that takes care of it."

Zak looked up and noticed they were standing in front of Michael's room.

"Are there any questions?" the doctor asked.

"No, sir," Zak replied.

"Okay. Again, I am very sorry for the loss of your child. Like I said, we couldn't save it," the doctor said.

"I understand," Zak said.

The doctor went ahead and opened Michael's door.

"I'll let you go in first, son," Zak's mother said.

Zak nodded.

"She's sleeping now. She probably won't be conscious until morning. Are you planning on staying, Mr. Bagans?" the doctor asked.

"Yeah. She has a fear of hospitals. She can't be by herself," Zak explained.

The doctor nodded.

"I understand. Well, I'll let you be," he said.

Zak and his mother thanked the doctor and Zak slipped into his wife's room.

"I'll be right out here, sweetie," his mom said.

Zak nodded and shut the door. When he turned and looked at Michael, he almost didn't recognize her. She looked like hell.  
Zak walked up to stand beside her. He took one of her limp hands and kissed her forehead. He pressed his forehead against her's and succumbed to another round of crying.

"I'm so sorry, sweetie," he whispered.


	14. Blue Eyes

_An unfamiliar noise never caused an uproar in the house. Come on! Zak and I were the noisiest people on the block! When you have two people who love loud music, have loud vehicles, a hound that howls loud enough to wake the dead, and friends who come over to play video games and yell at me for shooting their heads off, it's bound to cause a ruckus. So, when this sound erupted from the living room, you would have thought that it would go ignored by the dogs. However, it caused Gracie and Ernie both to start barking and running for the living room._

"I've got it!" Zak called out.

I was out in the garage, walked back in from grabbing something out of my truck when a piercing cry came from within the house. I ran back in and peered into the living room. When I saw what I saw, my heart rate slowed and a smile crept up on my face. On the island sat one of my cameras that I had left there. It had been heavily employed these passed few days. I picked it up and turned it on. I walked into the living room where Zak was standing, his back and shoulder to me.

"I've got you. You're okay, sweetie," Zak said softly.

Gracie and Ernie plopped down on their haunches and looked up at Zak and the thing he was holding. I raised my camera and snapped a picture just in time for Zak to kiss the tiny bundle's cheek. I put my camera back down to see a pair of big blue eyes look up at me over Zak's large bicep. An identical pair of eyes turned and looked at me. Zak smiled at me and kissed his precious child on top of her head. I walked up to them and kissed her little hand. Zak looked lovingly down at her.  
It was his love towards her that made this all worth while. 

I felt like shit for two days. I didn't talk for two days. I only drank maybe once or twice those two days. I wasn't completely there. I drifted in and out. It was the third day that I was back to myself. Not fully operational, but completely lucid.  
When I woke up on the third day, it was like waking up on any normal morning. I peeled my eyes open to see the most modern, high-tec hospital room I had ever been in. It was like a nice hotel room, had it not reeked of disinfectant, rubber, and coffee. Light was filtering in through Venetian blinds. There was a flatscreen TV across from me. Around it was were I assumed the bathroom was. A plain beige, leather padded bench sat under the windows and two matching recliners sat on the other side of my bed. Laying his head on the edge of my bed with his jacket as a pillow, was Zak.  
I smiled and reached a weak hand down to comb my fingers through his hair. He hadn't been home as far as I knew, so his hair was nice and greasy.

"Zak," I spoke, being the first time I had done so in two days.

Zak roused and sat up. He smiled softly and rubbed his eyes free of sleep.

"Hey, baby," he said sleepily.

He yawned loudly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Like shit.

"Better," I replied.

Zak smiled and reached up to ruffle my stringy, nasty hair. Really, we both were in need of some serious shampooing.

"I see those dopey pain meds wore off. They turned you into a zombie," he said playfully.

I smiled in place of a laugh.

"What? Do you not want a zombie for a wife?" I asked, playing back.

"I would rather you be a werewolf," he joked.

I smiled at him. I was too scared to laugh. I knew I had stitches and I was afraid I'd bust them.

"So, what's the damage?" I asked.

Zak's playfulness faded. He took my closest hand and held between both of us, kissing the knuckles as he did so.

"The um..._it_ caused an infection where it had attached. You were running a fever and about to miss when you went in. That's why you felt so shitty," he explained.

I nodded.

"They have you on meds to flush your system and these, apparently, amazing pain killers," he went on.

I smiled at that. I would need those.

"But other than that, they fixed you up. You'll be good to go in two weeks," he said.

That alarmed me.

"Two weeks?" I exclaimed.

"Well, Michael, you need time to recover, sweetie," he explained.

"But, what about Ghost Adventures?" I asked.

"Mikey, we don't have another lockdown for a while. We have time. You'll be good as new and ready to go again," he said.

I sighed and looked down myself.

"What kind of new scars did I get?" I asked, half-joking.

Zak sniffed.

"They're like, an inch long. They'll fade and you'll barely see them after a while," he reassured me.

Zak stroked the back of my hand with his thumb.

"Yet another scar I've caused on you," he said solemnly.

I reached up and cupped his cheek, causing sad, tired eyes to look at me.

"Zak, hun, don't do that to yourself," I said.

Zak swallowed hard, beginning to get upset with himself. I decided I'd try and take his mind off of it.

"Hey, I had this dream last night," I said.

Zak's eyes lit up a little.

"Yeah?" he asked, "About what?"

"Us," I replied, "I had a dream that we were at home and you were in the living room. I come in to see this tiny little human in these big arms, making her look even smaller."

Zak smiled sadly.

"It was a girl?" he asked.

I nodded with a smile. For some reason, this made Zak even happier.

"Did you want a girl?" I asked.

Zak bit his lip and shyly nodded. I tugged on his sleeve, making him stand and sit down on the crackly mattress next to me.

"She looked just like you," I said softly.

Zak smiled and blinked away the tears welling up in his eyes. It made me want to cry. He leaned down and kissed me. I reached around his neck and hugged him, he gently pulled me into him. When he kissed my cheek, I could feel warm moisture from his tears. The images from my dream came rushing back. He loved her so much, but she wasn't ever going to become what we didn't need, but secretly wanted. That thought alone made me lose my composure and cry softly into his neck. I told myself that this would be the last of my crying. We couldn't change anything and now was the time to move on.

Xxx

"It looks like a funeral parlor in here," I popped off as I sipped on a cup of ice water.

Zak was up, standing and reading the card on a vase full of lilies a nurse had just brought in.

"People are just glad you're okay, sweetie. This one is from Billy and his wife," he said.

"Well, text them and tell them I said 'thanks'," I told him.

Zak slid his phone out of his pocket and did so. As he did that, there was a knock at the door. Zak turned around went to open the door. His mother was standing in the doorway with a smile and her hands full of grocery bags. Oh, here we go!  
Zak took the bags off of his mom's hands and helped her bring them in.

"Hello, hello! Mikey, how are you feeling, sweetie?" she asked.

"Like crap," I replied.

She frowned.

"Poor baby. Well, I got some stuff to cheer you up," she said.

I perked up and craned my head to see what she had bought.

"I asked the doctor for a list of what you should be eating and he gave me a list of Do's and Don'ts, so I ran out to the grocery store and picked up some stuff. Oh! And I went and picked up your prescription from the pharmacy," she said.

Zak looked inside a bag.

"Mom, you didn't have to go out and get all of this. I was going to do it later," Zak said.

His mom looked up him with a raised eyebrow.

"Zak, don't worry about. I want to help," she said.

Zak sighed in defeat and walked back around the bed to me. He sat down beside me.

"Okay. Michael, I went out and got several cans of tomato soup, ice cream, and I know how much you love these, so I got them," his mom began.

I watched eagerly as she pulled out a red box of heavenly Snack Packs.

"Pudding!" I said excitedly.

"Mom, she's not really supposed to have dairy. I know those have milk chocolate in them," Zak said.

"Oh, Zak, she'll be alright," his mom waved him off.

"I'll just eat it in moderation," I said with a shrug.

Zak looked down at me with accusing eyes.

"Mikey, I've seen how you go through those," he said.

"Hey! Don't be hatin' on my pudding!" I scolded him.

Zak burst out laughing. His mom just chuckled.

"She is getting back to being her old self, isn't she?" his mom asked.

Zak just smiled.

"Oh! Michael, I also picked up some pads. I don't how much of them you'll use, but your nurse told me that you may bleed a little bit. Kind of like spotting," she said.

Zak and I both cringed.

"Well, it's just a precaution," she went on.

I looked up at Zak. He had this pained expression on his face.

"Maybe it was a good thing she did our grocery shopping," he said.

I laughed at that. The image of Zak in _that_ aisle was hilarious.

"That's what moms are for. They're also for telling people what to do. Zak, have you been home at all?" she asked.

Zak slowly shook his head.

"Son, go home. Take a shower. Get some rest. Or, you can go over to my house and spend some time with the twins. They asked me a million questions I didn't have answers to this morning," she said.

"The twins are here?" I exclaimed.

Zak's mom scoffed at him.

"You didn't tell her?" she asked.

"I probably did, but she's been so out of it, she probably doesn't remember," Zak explained.

I did remember some things, but very little.

"Well, they are here. They've been at my house and they're getting restless, so Zak, please go home and see them," she pleaded.

"But, Mom!" Zak argued.

"I'll stay up here with Michael. Aaron is coming by later, anyways. She'll be fine," she assured him.

"When do I get to see the twins?" I asked.

I was dying to see them! I hadn't seen them since Christmas.

"Not until you are home, sweetie," his mom replied, "They are way too rowdy and you don't need that much excitement right now."

My shoulders dropped and I pouted. I wanted my cousins, but she was right. Nikki would probably freak out when he saw me. Yeah, I didn't need that right now.

"Well, when do I get to go home?" I asked, looking up at Zak.

"Tomorrow," he replied.

I felt relief wash over me.

"Yes!" I said.

Zak leaned over to me.

"Then we can camp out in the living and be as lazy as we want," he said.

I laughed at him.

"We're always lazy," I said.

He laughed and kissed me.

"I'm gonna go ahead and go see the twins. I'll be back later," he said.

I reached up and kissed him.

"Love you," he said.

"Love you, too," I replied.

I watched sadly as Zak kissed his mom goodbye and then left. I couldn't wait to get out of this damn hospital bed and be leaving out of that door with him.  
Aaron came by after lunch and dropped off a vase of flowers. Billy also came by and hung out for a little while. It was nice having them around to help me forget about why I was really there.  
The next day, Zak took me home. I had never been happier to go through the kitchen door of that house. I was still getting used to calling Zak's house my home, but after being away from it for so long, it really was beginning to grow on me.  
Zak and I camped out in the living room. There was no way in hell I could make the trip up the stairs, but there was a bathroom on the first floor and just about everything else I needed. Zak also used the guest bath and alternated between sleeping on one of the couches near me and crashing in the guest bedroom that used to be his until the master upstairs was finally finished. That first day home was all about settling me back in and getting everything adjusted for my living in the living room for a while. This is where Zak's near motherly manners came in handy. I literally felt like I was getting waited on hand and foot by my mom-except she was a man. I guess that's a weird way to describe it, but that's how I felt.  
The next day while I was watching television and Zak was in the kitchen putting things away from breakfast, there was a knock on the front door. Ernie and Gracie went tearing through the house. I ignored them as I sipped some water and watched cartoons. It wasn't until I heard a familiar lispy voice that my attention was torn away from the screen.

"Nikki?" I asked.

"Incoming!" Zak called.

I heard a pair of feet come thumping through the house. I had little time to react as I was tackled by a hug.

"Nikola! Easy!" Zak warned.

Nikki was bawling his eyes out in my neck. I reached up and hugged the thin giant.

"Nikola, don't hurt her," I heard Volta speak.

The older twin walked into my field of vision. I smiled at him.

"I'm sorry, Mikey. I tried to hold him back, but he's fast," he apologized.

"It's alright," I told him.

Nikki pulled away and grasped my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry. I'm just so glad you're alright, honey," he said.

"Thank-you, Nikki," I said, my voice just above a whisper.

"Nikola," Zak said strongly, grabbing the blonde's attention.

"Yeah?" Nikki asked.

"Come help me with something," he said.

I knew what Zak was doing. He could tell Nikki was about bring up what we didn't want to talk about.  
Nikki reluctantly followed Zak out of the living room, leaving me alone with Volta. Volta sat on the coffee table and leaned over to hug me.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he pulled away.

"Out of it," I replied.

Volta smiled and nodded.

"You're not in any pain, though?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"The doctor said I would be sore. I have bruising from where I was swollen. It's not that bad, though," I said.

Volta nodded.

"How has Zak been?" he asked.

I looked out into the kitchen to see Zak leaning over the island across from Nikki, possibly lecturing him.

"He's doing better, I think. His mom told me he was pretty torn up, but I think he'll be okay. He's been wonderful to me, Volta. I'm well taken care of," I replied.

Volta smiled.

"I wouldn't expect anything less. I know you're in good hands. It just seems like you two never catch a break," he said.

I sighed.

"Shit happens, Volta. It's life. We're okay, though. Really," I reassured him.

Volta nodded. He turned and reached down into a bag I had not noticed he brought in.

"Well, I got you something to cheer you up," he said.

"Oooh! What?" I asked eagerly.

"I found this in the $5 bin at Walmart. I thought it would be a good way for you to pass the time while your couch ridden," he said.

Volta pulled out a DVD box set and handed it to me. I turned the box upwards and got excited when I saw a train on it.

"I think it's just a bunch of documentaries on different railroads and stuff. I know there's one in there on the Durango and Silverton railroad," Volta explained.

I looked over and him with wide-eyes.

"Isn't that the one Grandpa took us to when we were little kids?" I asked.

Volta smiled and nodded.

"Remember when we rode in the open car and got black soot all over our faces?" Volta asked.

"And it wouldn't come off for anything? I remember that! Didn't Nikki get motion sickness?" I asked.

Volta shook his head.

"That was me," he laughed.

"Oh!" I said and laughed with him.

"It was a three hour train ride through mountains. No one should have been surprised," he said.

I smiled and sat the case in my lap.

"Well, thanks Volta," I said.

Volta reached over and hugged me again.

"You're welcome, Little One," he replied.

Later that night, Zak let Nikki back in. We sat around and played Zak's video games and talked about everything and nothing. Zak ordered a pizza for himself and the twins and made me soup and half of a grilled cheese.

"I want pizza," I pouted as he sat my food in front of me.

"No, sweetie. Your stomach isn't up for it yet. Try to eat your soup. You need to get your energy levels back up," he said.

Defeated, I went ahead and sipped half of my soup and (to my surprise), chowed down on the entire half of grilled cheese. It's like I've said before, Zak makes the best grilled cheese. Although, I would have killed for a slice of cheesy, greasy, saucy pizza.  
Later, Zak and the twins got caught up watching some chainsaw horror flick. I didn't care for the movie, so I shut my eyes and quickly passed out. I only woke up when the distinct sound of Zak's ringtone sounded from down the hall. I opened my eyes to see a dark living room, void of anyone and food. I slowly sat up and looked into the kitchen. The lights were on and Zak was making his way in in his black sweatpants and matching socks. I assumed it was late, since it was dark outside and I could faintly hear the dogs snoring in the floor.  
I was close to falling back asleep when Zak padded back into the living room. He walked over to my couch and leaned over to kiss my forehead. I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

"The twins just went to bed," he announced.

"Okay," I mumbled.

"Do you need anything?" he asked, "I'm about to go crash on this couch."

I thought for a moment before shaking my head.

"Okay," he said.

Zak was about to turn away when I grabbed his arm.

"Hey, Zak?"

Zak turned back around. I waved my index finger, gesturing for him to lean down to me. He sat down on the edge of the couch and leaned over me.

"What is it, babe?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied, "I just wanted to say thank-you. For everything."

Zak smiled and leaned down. He kissed me softly and then hugged me.  
"I love you so much," he whispered.

I hugged him tighter and kissed his cheek.

"I love you, too, big boy," I said.

Zak pulled away, smiling. He let me lay back and he stroked his fingers over my forehead until I fell asleep.

Xxx

By Saturday, I was up and around a little bit. I was slow moving and had to be really careful because of my stitches. The last thing I wanted was new stitches! But by Saturday, there was little chance of my ripping them, seeing as I was healing pretty fast. I was quickly returning to my old self. I missed my old self. She had been gone for a good two weeks. Welcome back, old self.  
I took my first sponge bath that weekend. I still didn't feel clean, but I felt a little more refreshed. I was able to shuffle off to the bathroom on my own and go get my own food in the kitchen, but not without Zak following me or staying nearby. I had never felt more insecure about being followed around. Even when I didn't expect it, I'd find him lurking behind a corner and he would scare the shit out of me.  
It wasn't all that bad, though. Zak washed my hair in the kitchen sink one day. That was a mess, but I like messes. I have fun with messes, and Zak's getting irritated at the water and suds going everywhere only made things funnier.

"This is like that time when you made popcorn at The Hollow and it exploded in the microwave and burnt up," Zak said as he scrubbed my scalp.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed in the sink, "That stunk!"

Zak laughed.

"At least this is just soap," I said.

"Yeah, soap that's all over me!" Zak exclaimed.

I burst out laughing, my own laugh hurting my ears in basin of the sink. Zak shut the water off and wrapped a towel around my head. He held it to my head as I slowly straightened up. I reached up and held the towel in place. When I turned to look at him, my laughter exploded again. His plain black t-shirt was soaked down the front.

"How did you even do that?" I asked, still laughing.

"No fucking clue," he said as he held he hem of his shirt between his fingers and looked down at himself.

"Maybe we should have let Nikki do it before they left," I said.

I turned away from Zak and began to shuffle off for the guest bathroom.

"I agree," Zak said, following me.

After towel drying my hair and apologizing for Zak's poor shirt, we did a little bit of work and played outside with the dogs. Zak announced that Nick was coming in for a couple of days to see me and make sure I was doing alright. He told me Aaron and Billy were going to bring Nick over and we were all going to just chill and hang out. That sounded heavenly!  
Early that Monday morning after breakfast, I was relaxing on the couch. Zak was getting ready to go run errands and hit the gym. I was ready for some time to myself. I had movies to watch, my electronics strewn all over the coffee table, and Xbox. I was good for at least three hours or so.

"Are you sure you don't want my mom to come over and watch you?" Zak asked for the millionth time that morning.

I would have told him that if he was that worried, he should just stay home, but he was becoming easily irritated and getting mad at little things that didn't usually bother him. He needed to go blow off some steam desperately, and I really needed some me time.

"I'll be fine! Go ahead and go. I've got everything I need right here," I said.

Zak walked over to me leaned over to give me a quick peck on the lips.

"Alright. Love you," he said.

"Love you, too," I said.

"I'll be back around lunch time. You want me to bring home some food?"

"Oh, heck yes!" I replied excitedly.

Zak laughed.

"Okay, sweetie. Call me if you need me," he said as he exited the living room.

"Alright. Have fun!" I called to him.

When Zak returned later with lunch, he seemed rather quiet to me. I thought that he may just be tired, since this was his first time in a while that he has been to the gym. However, when I tried to talk to him, he seemed really distant. He didn't ignore me or anything, but his mind seemed to be in a different place. Deciding it was best to leave him alone, I didn't call him out on it. I figured that he may have had a rough time running his errands or perhaps someone at the gym had pissed him off. I thought it best to just go ahead and let him chill. He would come back around.  
A few hours and a snack later, I was watching the DVDs Volta had bought me when Zak came power walking into the living room. I heard his bare feet coming from a mile away as he sped across the concrete floor and onto the hardwood of the living room. I looked up to see him wearing this light purple t-shirt, black sweatpants, and his glasses. He looked so damn cute. I had been a long time since I had slept beside him, and I was really beginning to miss his company. One gets used to the feeling of someone like him holding you as you fall asleep. I knew that the first thing I wanted to do when I was able to scale the stairs again was to crawl into our bed and fall asleep against him.

"Sweetie, have you seen my hard-drive?" he asked.

I reached for the TV remote and turned the volume down.

"What's it look like?" I asked.

"It's a big, flat black piece of plastic with chrome around the edge. Has a USB cord hanging out of it," he said, showing me with his fingers the estimated size of the hard-drive.

"I have no idea," I said.

Zak groaned.

"You were using it with the Xbox a while back," he said.

I shrugged.

"Well Zak, if it's in here, it's up on the shelves with the DVDs. Might be by the games," I said.

Zak turned toward the bookcase and began searching.

"Ah-ha! Found it!" he said as he grabbed his sought out piece of equipment.

"Thank-you, sweetie," Zak said and quickly walked out, only to come rushing back in.

I gave him a confused look.

"I can't find shit today. Where's my iPad?" he asked.

I laughed and pointed to the opposite couch.

"Right where you left it," I replied.

Zak let out a small, hilarious scream and hopped over to grab it.

"Thank-you, baby. Do you need anything? I'm going to go back to my office and get some work done."

"I'm good," I replied.

As soon as I said that, I felt unusually cold.

"Maybe turn the A/C off?" I asked he began to leave.

"It's not on," he replied.

I groaned and reached into the floor to grab my blanket. When I looked back up Zak was leaving. A flash of movement behind him caught my eye. I froze when I realized what it was. As Zak strolled out, a figure followed him. When I say figure, I mean a fully manifested fucking ghost with an ectoplasmic glow and everything! It was in the form of a little girl wearing a white dress and had long, dark, curly hair. She ran after Zak and reached for his hand as it swung back. However, she missed as her smaller hand reached for him. As Zak exited, the ghostly girl dropped to her knees and silently cried. That's when it hit me. This girl looked exactly the apparition behind Zak in the Sedamsville Rectory photos. I mean it! Exactly the same, except now smaller. I was immediately convinced this was the same ghost.  
I sat up and tried to speak with her, hoping she wouldn't disappear.

"Who are you?" I asked softly.

Instead of vanishing or running off, the ghost looked up at me. When our eyes met, I felt my heart jump in my throat. She had these narrow, blue eyes with this intense stare. It was that same stare that not only Zak had, but our baby in my dream. I can't say that this ghost had Zak's eyes, but dammit, they were close!  
The ghost girl stood up and shook her head at me as tears streamed down her cheeks. When she turned away, she vanished. Suddenly, the room was back to a more comfortable temperature.

"Ho..ly...SHIT!" I exclaimed, "ZAK!"

I pulled myself up to my feet and walked over to the end of the couch, maybe a yard or so where the ghost had been. Zak came running in.

"What's wrong?" he asked frantically.

I was staring at the spot wide-eyed, willing for the ghost girl to manifest and show herself to him. I brought Zak back. He's here like she wanted. Where did she go?

"There was a fucking ghost right there!" I said, pointing to the spot where she had disappeared.

"What?" Zak asked as he stepped into the living room.

"There was a ghost, Zak! A little girl," I replied.

Zak watched me with this concerned look. Did he not believe me?

"Michael, there hasn't been a presence in this house in a long time. Are you sure?" he asked.

"Zak! I saw what I saw what I saw!" I said, now talking with my hands like Nikki always does, "It's not my meds. As you began to leave, remember I said I was cold?"

Zak's eyes widened.

"Oh yeah!" he said.

Zak walked over to me.

"As soon as you turned to leave, this little girl comes running in out of no where and tries to grab your hand. Your hand moved back up and she missed. Then she dropped to the floor and started crying," I explained, pointing to the spot where she had stopped and collapsed.

Zak's concerned eyes were trained on where I was pointing.

"What the fuck?" he asked.

"She didn't make any noises or anything," I said.

"But you could see her?" he asked.

"Dude, full manifestation! I could see every little detail," I replied.

Zak exhaled heavily and crossed his arms. I had neglected to tell him that she had the same eyes as the baby in my dream, but I really didn't want to bring that up.

"She was running after me, you say?" he asked.

I nodded.

"And she was wearing that same white dress the lady in the picture was wearing!" I said.

Zak nodded, still staring at the floor. His eyes then flickered up to me.

"Do you think that was her? Do you think she's following me?" he asked, now taking on a more calm and quiet tone.

I nodded.

"She wants to talk to you. She needs to tell you something," I said.

Zak nodded.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do, then. I'm going to go finish up some of my work and then I'm gonna call Nick and Aaron and get them out here. We're gonna do a mini investigation," he said.

At the word investigation, I got ridiculously excited.

"Hell yes!" I said.

Xxx

Later, we spent three or four hours in a dark living room. During that whole time, we felt nothing, saw nothing, and heard nothing. Nick and Zak concluded that the spirit had fled. Aaron thought Zak had a portal in the house, but this house had been blessed and cleansed so many times that that possibility was illogical.  
As the guys and I sat around the kitchen table and discussed the investigation, we found that we had way more questions that answers. Not good.

"Mikes, did you say she was a full-bodied apparition?" Nick asked.

"Definitely. Scared the shit out of me! I thought a little girl was really in the house," I replied.

"Would scare me too," Aaron commented.

"But how the hell would she be able to gather enough energy to do that?" Nick questioned.

Zak leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. At the start of the investigation, he had become really tense. Now, he seemed troubled and becoming as distant as he had been at lunch.

"Easy, Nick," Zak said, "There's electricity running every where in this house. All sorts of radiowaves are flying everywhere. I have the WiFi turned on. Michael was watching a movie at the time she saw the apparition. I had my laptop and my iPad going at the same time. It's really easy for spirits to manifest here."

"Well, did anything die or go off when she manifested?" Aaron asked.

I shrugged and shook my head.

"I didn't notice anything die. I was a little too busy looking at her to watch the electronics," I said.

"Did you notice any drainages or anything?" Nick asked Zak.

"No, man. That's the weird part. She must have used some other form of energy," Zak replied.

"Boy, she drained the warmth right out of the room, though," I spoke up.

"Yeah, Michael told me she was freezing and right when I left, she saw it so..."

"So you definitely weren't hallucinating," Aaron said jokingly.

"No!" I laughed, "It's like I said. I saw what I saw. Nothing else to it."

Aaron grinned and rubbed the top of my head with his large hand, messing up my already limp and unkempt hair.

"Well, we gotta find her. We need to help her," Nick said.

"How do we find a ghost that we know nothing about? Especially one that keeps changing form?" Aaron asked.

I thought for a moment, trying to remember all the strategies the boys had used to draw out certain spirits.

"Trigger objects?" I asked.

Nick shrugged.

"That would be Zak," he said.

Zak cut his eyes at his friend. He didn't seem too keen on that idea.

"Alone!" Aaron said excitedly.

Nick and I laughed at that. This time it was Zak's turn to be alone. Payback!

"So, how do we get her to come through? How does one find a spirit when they have no idea where they came from or where they went?" Nick asked.

"You have to have a portal," Zak replied.

"Where are we going to find a portal? Make one?" Aaron asked.

"Not in this house!" Zak said sternly.

I agreed. I didn't want anything in this house after all the problems he had had and the trouble he went through to keep them away.

"Then, where do we find one? There's no such thing as some kind of station where any spirit can pass through," I said.

That's when Nick perked up.

"Yes there is!" he said.

All of us looked over at him.

"Where?" Zak asked.

Nick smiled.

"Winchester Mystery House, baby," he said with a smile.

Aaron groaned.

"Bro, I hate that place!" he complained.

"Well, you don't have to go," Nick said, "It's not like we're going to be doing another three way call. We're just going to call out Zak's attachment."

"I'm not going," Aaron said stubbornly.

"Then it's settled. Aaron's out. What about you, Mikes?" Nick asked.

I nodded eagerly.

"Totally," I said.

We all then looked over at Zak. He didn't seem too enthusiastic at all.

"You think it's a good idea?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, I do. It's just that we can't do anything until Michael fully recovers. She has an appointment to get her stitches out next Tuesday. We can't do anything until after that," Zak said.

My stomach rolled and Aaron cringed.

"Remember when we went to go get your stitches out the first time?" he asked me.

I groaned.

"Have fun with that, bro," Aaron said to Zak.

Zak rolled his eyes.

"She'll be fine," he said.

"But it's settled, then?" Nick interrupted, "After Mikey is ready to go, we'll take a trip out to San Jose?"

"Sure. Aaron, you sure you wanna stay behind?" Zak asked.

"Bro, I wanna help, but I'm not going back in that place. Sorry," Aaron said.

"That's fine. Yes, Nick, it's settled," Zak said.

Nick and I shouted out victoriously and jumped up and down in excitement. Long story short, we were pumped!  
During the time before Nick and Aaron left, we sat and discussed what we needed and made a rough game plan. Aaron helped us out, since he wasn't going on the actual investigation. Zak, however, wandered off to the bar and sat down with a shot of...something. I was starting to get worried about him, so I made a mental note to speak with him when the boys left.  
When Nick and Aaron were leaving, I spoke with Nick at the door.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better, Mikes," he said with a smile.

I laughed lightly.

"Me too," I said.

Nick laughed at that.

"And Veronique sends her apologies and best wishes," Nick added.

I smiled at that. She was so nice.

"Tell her I said thank-you," I told him.

"I will. You get some rest. I'll see you later," Nick said.

We gave each other and hug and then I gave Aaron a quick hug before telling them goodbye. They then said their goodbyes to Zak before heading out into the dark. I shut the door behind them and returned to the kitchen. I walked up behind him and slid my arms around him, laying my head on his back.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked.

Zak sighed, but didn't respond. I was immediately concerned. I walked around to face him. He looked deeply upset. I took the now empty shot glass out of his hands and replace it with my own. Zak laced his fingers with mine and looked up at me with these same sad, pitiful eyes that Ernie looked at me with when he got in trouble.

"I'm sorry, Mikey. I'm just still a little...upset about...everything," he said, having trouble finding the right words.

"Zak," I said softly.

I placed my free hand over his that was holding mine and gently rubbed it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked.

Zak shrugged and shook his head.

"I'm sorry. It just...the whole thing is still fresh in my mind, I guess. And that dream you told me about just made me a little emotional. I'll get over it but..." Zak trailed off.

I pulled my hands free and took his jaw into my hands. His eyes bore straight into mine.

"Zak, death is not the end," I said.

Zak let out a shaky breath and pulled me in to a tight hug.

"I taught you that one," he whispered.

"And you needed to be reminded," I said softly as I ran my fingers through his hair.

Zak pulled away and held my face in his hands, making me feel small.

"You're fucking incredible. You know that, right?"

"Oh, whatever," I said.

Zak smiled and kissed me deeply. He then broke away and pressed his forehead against mine.

"I love you," he whispered.

I took hold of both of his hands and closed my eyes to kiss him again. I cherished this man so much. I didn't know what I'd do or where I'd be without him. We had a smooth run and we knew there would be bumps in this road (quite literally, if you think about it), but we could do this. As always, I had faith in him.


	15. Stairway to Heaven

April 12th  
On the road to San Jose, California.

The doctor had told me I would go through a period of mourning. I doubted him at the time. He told me it was completely normal. It was the body's reaction to the loss of something, such as when someone loses an arm or toe. He had said I could develop anxiety or suffer from depression. Again, I doubted him. I had been through rough bouts of depression before, including a very violent one in the eighth grade and another round my Sophomore year of high school. I had learned to control it and came out a better person than I was before. So, I doubted any kind of depression stood a chance against me. But the mourning...  
Zak had endured his own week of mourning. He hardly showed it unless he was alone with me. I felt horrible for him more than anything. This was something so unexpected out of him. When I spoke to his mother about it, she told me that during the duration of his single and dating life, he wanted nothing to do with kids. However, I guess marriage changes a person. Both of us still agreed that the parent life wasn't for us and we cringed every time a baby cried in a restaurant. They say you can only stand the sound of your own child's crying, and I guess that would have been true for us. It was just going to take time to move on.  
I sat by myself in the backseat of our rental SUV and watched the cars and houses pass by. Far beyond them were mountains and above was an incoming storm. Perfect to swirl up energy for our investigation. We had just taken a three day break from our previous lockdown in a small town in Missouri, and were now taking our trip to the Winchester Mystery House. I really hoped our plan worked. We had everything planned out perfectly, but because of the spontaneity of spirits, we all knew that some, if not all of our plan, would be tossed out the window.

"This is where I was born," Nick said.

I looked up to see him point to the skyline of downtown San Jose as we approached it.

"I'm excited, bro," Zak said, "I wanna go see some guns before our investigation. Maybe we can go to that shooting range again?"

I smiled as the boys started in on guns. My mind drifted away from them. I would have joined in, but I could not focus. My mind was still back in March, still at the hospital...  
As I watched the plain land begin to turn into houses, I wondered if our little all-nighter on Valentine's Day had started this. Curious, I opened my cell phone's calendar and began to backtrack. I was surprised to see that the dates backed up before the 14th of February and all the way into the end of January. I shook my head. Really? That night on the couch before we went to Ohio? Wow.  
With that knowledge, I tortured myself further. When would she had been born if I had been healthy enough? Using my calendar, I counted the months. If I was correct, she (and for obvious reasons, I suppose, I have it stuck in my head that it would have been a girl) would have been an October baby-perhaps even a Halloween baby! Halloween was my favorite holiday and one of Zak's as well. Knowing this now made me even sadder.  
I looked up to see Nick and Zak in conversation, one paying attention to traffic and the other deep into their phone-their attention completely off of me. I leaned over and lifted them hem of my t-shirt to look at my stomach. Two little scars close to both sides of my pelvis was all the remained. I could still feel it-that dome under my hand. I could still see and feel Zak's lips against it. That was never going to go away, and even though at the moment it bothered me, I was happy that I remembered.

"Michael," Zak said softly.

I stuffed my shirt back down quickly and looked up. Thankfully, neither of them were looking at me.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You seem really quiet today. You okay?" Zak asked.

"Oh, I'm good," I said, pumping cheerfulness into my voice.

Zak was quiet for a moment. I could tell he was trying to decipher my tone-trying to see if I was lying or not. Of course I was lying, but he didn't need to know!

"Just checking, sweetie," he said.

I smiled. To this day, every time he said that, I melted. Another year older this month and still so gosh damn hot! Not many women can say that about a husband in his late 30s, but then again, not many paid attention to their appearances and took care of themselves like Zak did. Trust me, guys, it helps to keep a strict diet, pump iron at the gym, and pay extra for those fancy products.

"She just hasn't had her morning coffee yet," Nick said, giving me a grin in the rearview mirror.

I just shook my head and smiled at him.

"If only you knew what coffee does to me. Especially today, since I haven't had caffiene in a while!" I said.

"Oh God!" Zak complained as he twisted in his seat to look at me, "You'll explode!"

"Mikey's hyper mode, engaged," I said jokingly.

"We won't be able to handle her, dude," Nick said, also jokingly.

"She's like Aaron times ten!" Zak told him.

"I still kind of wanna see what happens," Nick said.

"When I sneakily order a pop at lunch, you'll see," I said to Nick.

Nick cheered. The only response out of Zak was a groan. Come on, big boy. It's time for a little excitement. I know I could use it to get my mind in a different place. I felt like I was missing something or someone. I know Aaron and Billy weren't here, but it wasn't them I was missing. I just didn't understand it!  
How can you miss something that's not there?

Xxx

Winchester Mystery House, for those of you who don't know, is a house built by Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester Rifles. She paid builders to continuously add on to the house. According to historians and what Zak has told me, Sarah was told my a medium to never stop construction on the house. She was told to build the house for the spirits who died by the end of the Winchester rifles. If she was to cease construction on the house, she would die. To keep adding on to building would promise immortality, according to the medium. We all know that is load of crap, though, so it leads me to wonder how sane Sarah Winchester was.  
Zak says the house now serves as a sort of "paranormal Union Station." Spirits use the building as a portal, using the house's odd construction as a vehicle for transportation. It was perfect to bring in his attachment. The only problem was isolating her from other spirits and keeping her around long enough to get answers.  
When we pulled into the large driveway off of 525 South Winchester Boulevard, I was stunned. I had seen the Winchester Mystery House episode of Ghost Adventures (by now, I've seen almost every episode) and I knew the place was famous for it's size, but my mind wasn't able to imagine the immensity of the place. Honestly, I thought the Queen Anne Mansion in Eureka Springs was a monster. This Queen Anne Victorian had nothing on the little three story. The Winchester Mystery House was ridiculous!  
As Nick pulled up the circle drive, I found myself pressed up against the window like a kid pressing his snotty nose against a candy store window (or like me when we went to Eureka Springs and I found the store with the taffy machine). This place was like a thing out of Disney Land or something. It held that classic Victorian charm, that distinct aura of haunted-ness, and its sheer size was intimidating. There was this strange side of me that wanted to buy the building immediately.

"Feel good about being back, g?" Nick asked.

I looked to see Zak turn and glare at Nick. This place didn't hold the best memories for him.

"I wish we could have one normal investigation here. Just once," he replied.

Nick smiled.

"I know what you mean. But hey! At least we know that spirits _do_ pass through here," Nick said.

"Especially spirits that want to contact us," Zak said.

That's when I suddenly remembered Zak's horrible experience here. Not only did spirits from the evil Bobby Mackey's pass through to the house, but Zak's grandmother had passed away at the same time Zak started feeling awful and had to quit the lockdown. He believed that she came to him through the house before passing on, and I did, too. It was totally rational.

"So, see? This _is_ a good idea. I'm just glad they let us come back," Nick said.

"Yeah, me too, bro. Are you ready, Mikey?" Zak asked, looking out of the corner of his eye at me.

"So ready!" I replied.

Zak smiled at me.

"Then, let's go do our walkthrough!" Nick said excitedly.

Like bats out of hell, the guys and I barreled out of the SUV and jogged up the steps of the mansion. Inside, we met with the owner and caretaker and discussed our experiment, going over most of everything we were planning on doing to make sure it was okay. The owner was completely fine with our idea, and we were free to explore the house on our own in search of the perfect spot.  
As I followed behind Zak, who was filming with his personal camcorder, through the house, I found I was totally turned around after only traveling down a single hall and turning a corner.

"Remember the stairs that zig-zagged?" Nick asked.

"Dude, we aren't doing any investigating on that thing. I was so claustrophobic on that!" Zak said.

"I know, dude. And it was so hard to film in that spot, too. You know. With two cameras and all," Nick agreed.

Zak nodded.

"Yeah, we need to find a different spot. An enclosed spot would probably work best. A small room or something," he said.

"Probably," Nick agreed, "I wanna go find those stairs that lead to no where. The ones that like, lead up to Heaven or something."

The soft, melodic guitar opening to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" popped into my head. As we continued to walk through the house, I began singing it to myself.

"I really do think that those stairs were a portal for good spirits to travel up and cross over to Heaven," Zak said to Nick.

"I wonder if that's what Sarah Winchester had in mind when she had those built," Nick pondered.

Zak just shrugged as we turned another corner. At what Nick said, a lightbulb lit up in my mind.

"Whoa! Hey, guys?"

Nick and Zak halted and turned to look at me.

"'Sup?" Nick asked.

"I just had an idea," I said.

The guys looked intrigued.

"Well, don't hold out on us," Nick said.

"What did you have in mind, babe?" Zak asked.

"What if we conducted our investigation by those stairs? I mean, Zak's attachment is not a bad spirit. She's just seeking him out for closure. Once she speaks with him and gets her story out, she can cross over. Why not make it easier for her and try that spot?" I suggested.

Nick and Zak looked at each other. I could see the gears in their minds spinning behind their eyes.

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Nick said.

Zak walked over to me and put me in a playful headlock with one arm.

"See? There's a reason why we keep you around," he said jokingly.

I tried to pry his arm off of me and laughed. Nick laughed at us.

"Come on, guys," he said, "Let's go see if we can find those stairs."

Zak let me go and held my hand. We followed behind Nick, since both of us were now totally lost.

"I hope we can make it back out of here," Zak said, "I have to pee and every bathroom here is fake."

Nick and I burst out laughing.

"Make sure to save your water bottles," Nick said.

Zak painfully groaned.

"Bro, don't say water," I complained.

I just shook my head and laughed, but silently wondered how the hell I was going to solve my own no bathroom situation.

Xxx

"Nick, hold the damn thing!" Zak snapped.

"Bro! It doesn't have to be perfect!" Nick argued back.

You would think Zak and Nick were married to each other with the way they bickered over equipment during set up time.

"Nick, it has to be completely sealed off! We have to ensure that energy isn't getting through. What's the point of sealing this off if we get contamination from other spirits? Duct tape, please, Michael."

I peeled off a strip of silver duct tape and handed the sticky piece to him.

"Zak, how do we know she won't try to break through this barrier to get to you? What if she doesn't come in the other way?" Nick asked.

Zak gave Nick an "Are you fucking kidding me" look.

"She has chased me from Texas, to Ohio, to Nevada. She'll find a way in. She's probably here right now waiting," Zak said.

I looked around worriedly at the empty hallway. Could she find her way? Would she get as confused as we were in this maze of a house? Would she get cut off by other spirits that were here? I can honestly say that I was worried about her. I really hoped our plan worked.

"Tape," Zak said again.

I peeled another strip off for him and handed it to him. The boys had visited one of their scientist friends that worked in the paranormal field. The guy had invented a sort of wallpaper that blocked electromagnetic energy from passing through. It made a barrier so ghosts couldn't pass through wherever the paper was placed. I was skeptical about how well the paper would work, but in any case, it was a pretty cool idea.

"Zak, we need to plaster this stuff all over the house," I said jokingly.

Zak smiled at me and looked back up at the ugly white and silver paper.

"I like the black and red walls, though," he said.

I laughed.

"Maybe it'll be available in more colors later on," I said.

Zak laughed and took the roll of tape off of me.

"Are we going to tape off the other doorway?" Nick asked.

Zak shook his head.

"That's where I'm going to stand and lure her in. She'll have one way in and no way out but up," he said.

Nick nodded.

"Sounds like a pretty good plan. But how are we going to keep the area free of spirits that are already moving through there?" Nick asked.

Zak turned on his heel and waved for Nick and I to follow.

"We have it cleansed. I called a priest I know. He's coming in to cleanse the area and cleanse us before we begin our investigation," Zak said.

Cleanse. As if we had really been rolling around in dark energy like dogs in horse shit. However, the last lockdown did have some angry spirits. Zak was definitely covering all of the bases.

Xxx  
8:00 P.M.

"Right now we're in the Winchester Mystery House. This house is like a giant portal station for spirits. We're trying to contact a spirit who has been appearing to us at several locations and trying to communicate with us-communicate with me. We have no idea who she is or where she came from, so we decided to come to a place with a portal so we could have a better chance at finding her. We're trying to help her find closure and cross over," Zak said to his camera as he leaned against the door jamb, "I'm here with Michael and Nick. Aaron and Billy couldn't make it on this trip. It's just us. This isn't for an episode of Ghost Adventures but this _is_ an adventure I want to share. Right now we're in the area where the stairs to Heaven go. We thought this would be easier for her and help her cross over. She is an intelligent spirit that has attached herself to me and we're here to see why. She needs our help. Right now we have two X-cams set up on opposing corners of this area. The other doorway is sealed with a special paper that blocks electromagnetic energy. It's a sort of experimental way to keep other spirits out so we can decrease contamination. Michael has her camera that has captured the last pictures of my attachment. She also has a real-time recorder that she and Nick are sharing. Nick has a PX device and I'm holding an EMF detector so we can back up what we may start feeling. There is also a digital recorder on the stairs, which we are just going to let run throughout the investigation."

"Unless it dies," Nick said.

"Well, we have back-up. Anyway, this is a spirit that has shown herself as a mist, and a full-bodied apparition in one of Mikey's photos that she took of me at Sedamsville Rectory. Only that time she appeared as a full-grown woman. Michael, what happened about two weeks ago at our house?"

I looked up to see Zak turn the camera to face me. Great. Center of attention again. I hated being in front of the camera.

"Okay. Two weeks ago, Zak and I were at home. I had just had surgery about a week before, so I'm laying down on the couch recuperating and watch TV. Zak comes into the living room hunting for his freaking iPad."

Zak laughed at that.

"And just as he was about leave, the room got freezing cold. As he walked out, this little girl with the same curly hair as the woman in the Rectory picture, wearing the same dress, runs in. Now this is a room with no doors other than the doorway out to the kitchen. That's where Zak was heading when this little girl's ghost comes running through. Zak was walking and his hand swings back, like most people's do when they walk, and she goes to reach for it. His hand comes back up and she misses. What was weird, though, was that she wasn't even close enough to grab him if she wanted to. But anyway, she misses, Zak's left the room by now, and she collapses in the floor and cries. I hear nothing. So then I try and ask who she is and she just stands, still crying, shakes her head, and then turns and vanishes," I explained.

"And that night, Aaron and Nick came over and we did an investigation in our living room. We heard, felt, and saw nothing. That's when we decided to come here and finally get some answers. This is a spirit that knows who we are and knows that we have the ability to communicate with her. We just have to bring her in," Zak said, "And there's something I forgot to tell you guys."

Nick and I gave Zak our full attention.

"Back at the Rectory, I kept hearing a woman's voice right in my ear," he said.

"What?" Nick and I exclaimed in unison.

"I didn't tell you guys because of the events that happened. I just now remembered. But right as I tried to open the door and go in to start the lockdown, I heard a woman tell me 'No' and then the door slammed in my face," Zak explained.

"Holy shit," Nick said.

"And then later, when we tried to go into the room where that guy did things to little boys, that same voice said 'Don't' and then slammed the door closed again. Right after that is when I got attacked," Zak finished.

"Do you think the voice belonged to your attachment?" Nick asked.

Zak shrugged.

"She was trying to protect you," I said.

"I don't know, but I sweat to God, Michael, I thought it was you at first," he said.

I felt my jaw drop.

"You're kidding me!" I said.

"But the pitch was a little different," he continued.

At that, I felt relieved. It was good to know that it wasn't a demon mimicking my voice. I don't think I could have handled that. Spirits were one thing. Demons were another.

"Anyways, are you guys ready to start?" Zak asked.

I reached up on the stairs and grabbed the recorder. When Zak gave us the signal, Nick and I pressed Record on our respective recorders.

"Mikey, Zak and Nick in the Stairway to Heaven area of Winchester Mystery House," I tagged the recorder.

I set the recorder back down and sat back down beside Nick.

"Mikey, since she likes to appear to you, you start," Zak said.

I nodded. I reached for my camera and booted it up.

"Okay. If you are Zak's attachment, can you please come show yourself?" I asked.

Once my camera was ready, I began snapping ugly shots of Zak to see if she was around him.

"Do you remember me? You appeared to me in our living room. Remember? I spoke to you. We've brought Zak here. He's ready to talk to you. He won't walk away again," I said.

We were silent as we listening. Nick and I felt nothing, but we noticed a change in Zak. Thinking quickly, I snapped several more shots in Continuous Mode.

"Guys, I don't feel good," Zak murmured.

Nick and I looked up worriedly at Zak.

"How come every time we come here, I feel weird?" he asked.

"She may be using your energy, bro. Hold your ground," Nick said.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," Zak said, "I'm just saying."

I looked back down at my LCD screen and began to review my pictures. The very last one made me hold my breath.

"Holy shit! Nick, look at this!" I hissed.

Nick leaned over to see the picture I had shot. Starting at Zak's hip and ending on the floor was a white mist.

"Oh my God!" Nick exclaimed.

"Look! It's almost in the shape of a girl in a dress!" I said, getting excited.

"Oooh! You're right, Mikey!" Nick said.

"She's here," I said.

I looked up at Zak. He had his hands pressed to his eyes.

"Zak?" Nick asked worriedly.

Zak sniffed.

"Zak, sweetie, are you okay?" I asked.

Zak wiped his eyes and looked over at us. I could see tear stains on his cheeks.

"I feel like shit, guys. I feel awful," he said and sniffed again, "I haven't felt this bad since...Mikey, since you went in for surgery. It's that same feeling of worry and heartache..."

I sighed heavily. I wanted to get up and hug him, but I had to be still.

"That must be how she felt when she died. Maybe there's an emotional transference going on," I said.

Zak nodded in agreement.

"Speak to her," I said.

Nick leaned over to me.

"I'm going to turn the PX on," he murmured.

I nodded and watched as he turned the device on.

"Sweetie, are you here?" Zak asked.

I wished we had a name to work with.

"Can you come and talk to me? I'm here to listen to you. You can tell me anything," he went on.

We heard nothing on the PX or the real-time recorder.

"Guys, I'm getting an EMF reading of 4. She must be around me," Zak said.

"She's still in her child form, Zak," I said.

Zak crouched down to the level a child would be at.

"Can you tell us what your name is?" I asked.

Again, nothing.

"You can use my energy, sweetie, if you need it to manifest," Zak said.

"Are you attached to Zak? Can you tell us why? We can only help you if you speak with us," I said.

Nothing. We hoped that the digital recorder or even the X-cams microphones were capturing voices, because during the next five minutes, we heard nothing.

"Why are you following Zak? I saw you in our living room. There's no need to be scared," I said.

"Let's go ahead and try the spirit box," Nick said, switching off the PX and switching devices.

I cringed. I hated using that stupid thing. It was handy, but dammit, it was annoying!

Nick turned on the spirit box and it immediately began talking.

"_I need to...help_!"

Nick, Zak and I exchanged startled glances.

"You asked why she was following him," Nick pointed out.

"Mikey, keep going," Zak urged.

"Okay. Why do you need to help him?" I asked.

"_He's...in danger_."

Zak's eyes widened in terror.

"In danger of what?" Zak asked.

As soon as Zak said that, he let out a pained whimper.

"Zak, are you okay, bro?" Nick asked.

He nodded.

"I can feel her touching me. It's like she's hugging me or something," he said.

With the chain of events playing out like they were, I pressed on with my interrogation.

"What is Zak in danger of?" I asked.

"_Michael! ...only you can save him_."

It was my turn to look terrified. The spirit box continued without our questioning. The same voice of a little girl.

"_I cannot save him...any...longer_."

Zak and I looked at each other. What did she mean? She couldn't save him any longer? I was the only one that could help him? What did that mean?!

"Can you tell us who you are?" I asked.

The last thing the spirit box said chilled all three of us to the core.

"_I have yet to live_," she said.

We didn't know what that meant, but I could now sense that danger she was talking about.  
I stood to my feet.

"I will help him," I said.

Zak and I locked eyes.

"You will be safe," I promised him.

Zak still looked scared out of his mind. Nick and I walked up to him as he stood up. I took his hands in mine.

"We've got your back, bro," Nick said, patting Zak's shoulder.

Zak's mood changed from upset to intimidating.

"I'm not going down without a fight."


	16. Water and Oil

"Aaron Vloooge!" I said into Aaron's phone's camera.

"Hey! What's up, guys? Just me and Michael out here doing some shopping before we leave for our next lockdown. Heading down to get some camera gear," Aaron said.

"Aaron has been saving up for this camera he's had a hard-on for since like, last year," I said.

"I don't have a hard-on for it! It's just a cool camera and I finally have enough to get it," Aaron said.

I laughed and turned back to the camera.

"And I need to go pick out a new flash because my favorite one that I've had since...gosh! Since before I started my shitty job at the newspaper back home. That flash gave out on me. We're having a funeral for it later," I said jokingly.

"How long were you working there before we called you up?" Aaron asked curiously.

I looked up to the clear blue Vegas sky, trying to remember. These passed two years had been such a blur. It was hard to keep track anymore.

"Maybe two years. I don't remember. But the thing broke. It's sad," I said.

"Is that the one you used for portrait shots of us?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah, when I felt like using flash. That was my nice one. I have another I could use, but it's better to keep a nice one on you. If my not-so-nice one breaks, I'm screwed," I told him.

"Ah! Yeah, that's true," he said.

Aaron and I were walking a shopping strip. It was difficult to find a parking spot, since it was a nice spring day and everyone was out enjoying themselves. Aaron and I had to park all the way around the block and walk a hundred miles. That didn't bother Aaron a bit, since he spent nearly every night walking Vegas. Being the lazy ass that I am, I was still not completely up to par, but I told Aaron I was up for the trek.

"What's Zak doing this afternoon?" Aaron inquired.

"Sleeping," I replied with a light laugh.

Aaron chuckled.

"Still tuckered out from the flight in?" Aaron asked.

"Mhmm," I replied with a nod.

We had just returned home yesterday from our trip to the Winchester Mystery House. Our damn flight got delayed four hours because of the storm that blew through, so our sleeping schedules got thrown off big time! Zak was also physically drained from the investigation, so after (finally) getting settled back in at home, he crashed in the bedroom after lunch. I knew he would be there for a good four to six hours, so I had so time to myself to get laundry done clean up a little bit. Thankfully, Aaron called me and saved me from house chores. So now, we were roaming around Vegas to Aaron's favorite camera store.

"There it is!" Aaron exclaimed.

Broken from my thoughts, I looked up to see Aaron running up to a window where an advertisement for the latest Canon DSLR was posted. Aaron looked back at me and grinned. I curled my nose.  
I turned his phone back around to face me.

"Canon fanboy here," I said.

"Canon is the shit, Mikey," Aaron said.

I laughed and pretended to be appalled.

"Rubbish, my dear Aaron. Nikon is the way to go!" I playfully argued.

And with that, Aaron and I got into a heated argument over which brand was better. I honestly didn't hate Canon that much. My only pick with them was that the cameras didn't handle noise as well as Nikon, and noise in photos are one of my biggest pet peeves. What Canon did have over Nikon was their video, and I think that's what Aaron liked the most since he did short films when he wasn't filming with the Ghost Adventures Crew. I couldn't really argue with him, but I always teased him about it.

"Okay, but Aaron, listen. I don't even use the video function," I argued.

"So, see? You have no say!"

"But the Nikon's video is not all that bad. I would get a Canon if I wanted to use video over pictures, but I don't videotape anything. I have a camcorder for that," I told him.

"See? Canon wins!" he said.

"Oh, whatever!" I retorted.

Aaron took his phone from me and faced the lens to him.

"Well, we're just gonna see about that," he said, concluding his vlog.

I just shook my head and opened the door to the electronics store. I had been to the store once before with Zak. He had to pick up a few things and I got the chance to wonder around and see what the store had. Basically, the place was like a Staples and a Best Buy put together. It was a convenient (if parking was good) place to get most of everything we needed for the road.  
I followed behind Aaron down the wide center aisle and over into the camera section. When he saw the brand new model he had been waiting for, he let out a high-pitched cry and ran over to it. I smiled and shook my head. The camera he had chosen was a big, professional grade beast with a price tag that even I wouldn't begin to save for. There was no way in hell! But apparently, it was the camera of Aaron's dreams and I wasn't about to crush them.  
While Aaron bought his supplies, I moseyed over to the Nikon products and picked out the flash I needed.

"Son of a bitch!" I whispered to myself when I saw the price tag.

Aaron walked over with his purchases.

"Did you find it?" he asked.

I pulled the box off of the shelf and began to read the backside. It was definitely the same kind of flash I had been using, just a newer model. But the price had skyrocketed!

"What the hell? Have these really gone up that high or are these Vegas prices?" I asked.

Aaron leaned down and inspected the tag.

"Geez! No idea. They probably have gone up," he said.

"Shit," I hissed.

"Well, why don't you wait and order one off the Internet? I'm sure you can find a good deal somewhere," he said.

I rolled the box around in my hand as I began to think. It wouldn't be that long before we left out again. I really didn't want to burden Zak's mom and have it sent to her place. Plus, I may need it on the road.

"I'll just go ahead and get it. I don't want to deal with UPS or anything," I told him.

It was more like I didn't want to hear Zak bitch about the UPS guys. Every time he saw one of their trucks, he flipped it off.

"You should make Zak pay for it. Your birthday is coming up, after all," Aaron pointed out.

I shook my head and walked over to Check-Out.

"No, I'm not going to do that. It's not that big of a deal. I just like to gripe," I said.

Aaron laughed.

"How has Zak been? You know, since Winchester?" Aaron asked.

I sat the box on the counter and shrugged.

"Kind of quiet. I think he's just tired," I said.

"He hasn't been acting weird or anything?" Aaron asked.

I shook my head.

"Not really," I replied.

I handed the cashier the money and waited on my change.

"That's good," Aaron said.

The cashier handed me my bag. I thanked her and turned on my heel to walk with Aaron out the door.  
Neither of us said much as we walked back down to the "Big Steppin Mobile." We set our things in the backseat and got in.

"You wanna stop at Starbucks? I'm dying," Aaron said.

I laughed at him.

"Yeah, sure."

After we arrived at Starbucks, me ordering a Mocha Frappucino deal and Aaron ordering a triple supercalifragilisticexpialid ocious latte or whatever, we walked outside and found a table on the patio to sit at. I logged in to the coffee shop's WiFi on my phone and began to check my e-mail. Aaron sipped his super caffeinated beverage and people watched. We were quiet for a little bit before Aaron cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Hey, Michael?"

I looked up from my phone.

"Yeah?" I asked.

Aaron's eyes were trained on the glass table top. He looked kind of nervous and slightly worried.

"What's up, bro?" I asked.

His large brown eyes finally looked up at me.

"If, maybe not today, but in a few days Zak starts to scare you, promise me you won't stay over there," he said.

I blindly locked my phone and set it back down.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Aaron squirmed in his seat.

"I mean, if he starts acting strange. If he starts getting aggressive or something, I want you to call me or come over or something. Don't stay around him when he gets like that," he explained.

I took a sip of my drink and sat forward.

"Aaron, I can handle it. I've done it before," I said.

Aaron's eyes turned cold.

"Michael, if he gets violent, you fucking call me! It's dangerous for you to be around him when he's like that. You could get hurt. He's a hell of a lot stronger than you," he said.

I sighed. Aaron was right. I could throw a punch with enough power to break a nose, but I was nothing compared to Zak-and he was even stronger under possession.

"Aaron, I can't leave him alone by himself like that either! He could hurt himself. He could jump in the car and leave and end up getting arrested. He needs to stay supervised, no matter how violent he gets," I said.

"Then you fucking come and get me!" Aaron argued.

"He could be dead by the time we get back to him!"

I looked around after my outburst. I hadn't grabbed anyone's attention, but I really hoped no one was eavesdropping. This sounded like a total domestic abuse case. That, or a suicide issue.

"Well, Mikey, if worst comes to worst, you can't stay," Aaron said.

I groaned.

"I know," I said, defeated.

"And I'm not saying it will happen. I'm just worried. I know you two have gone to great lengths to protect yourselves, but nothing's foolproof," he went on.

I nodded.

"We'll be okay. You don't need to worry. If he does start acting weird, I'll call you as soon as it happens," I said.

Aaron nodded. I think that made him feel a little bit better about it. Aaron had every right to be worried. He had seen Zak plunge a knife into my arm under possession, and I had told him about the eight ball being thrown at Gracie. I was worried too, but I was still holding on to that hope that when I was around, the darkness would stay at bay. I hoped that still worked, anyways.

Xxx

_What was once a damp concrete floor was now a centimeter deep with dark, murky water. A growl from behind Zak indicated that he was not out of the woods. He pumped his legs as hard as he could. He ran into a perpendicular hallway, but for the water, could not see the two stair drop. He tripped and flew into the water.  
He stood quickly, now standing in water that went passed his ankles and flowed like a river down the hall. A loud thump from the hall he had just tumbled out of made him jump. His brain kicked into action and he took off running downstream. He had no idea where he was, how he got there, or what was after him. He just knew to run.  
Zak turned a corner, following the stream. The water was splashing up all over his jeans and jacket, soaking him. He frantically searched for a door or a window-anything that would lead him outside and away from the thing that was after him. However, all he saw was never-ending concrete walls. There was concrete everywhere. Zak could only wonder if he was running through a prison.  
Finally, Zak came to a porch area that led out to a courtyard. He could see the dark clouds and smell the afternoon rain. He could hear the thunder over the river now splashing at his calves. Zak tore off for the porch. He ran for the opening, not noticing that the water he was running in did not flow outside. Just as he was about to run out into the opening, an invisible barrier bounced him back and threw him into the water. Zak went under and tumbled over backwards. He scrambled to right himself in the current. His tennis shoes skidded against the concrete. His fingers grasped a rocky pillar and he yanked himself up. Zak held on tightly to the stones as he struggled to breathe and regain his equilibrium. He didn't have much time for a breather when a demonic bark came from down the hall.  
Zak searched frantically for an escape. That's when he noticed the water flowing up a flight of steps that led to large wooden double doors. Zak realized that he wasn't in a prison, but rather a castle or a palace. Seeing the doors as his only escape Zak ran as fast as he could through the water. He struggled up the stairs and grasped a metal ring handle and yanked it. When the door wouldn't budge Zak panicked and threw his shoulder against it. The door flew open and Zak took off running through it. He ran into a colossal room that reeked of death, but didn't get to see much of it. There was a tug on his legs. Zak fell forward. He defensively fell onto all fours. He expected to splash into the water again, but when his hands sunk slowly, he realized that this was something else.  
Zak looked to see that the water had turned into black oil. He tried to pull himself up, but the oil kept him stuck._

"Zachary Bagans!" a demonic voice echoed off of the cathedral ceiling.

Terrified, Zak looked up to see 40 feet of reaper floating above the oil pool.

"You will die, Zachary Alexander Bagans," it warned, pointing a skeletal finger at him, "We will find you."

An animalistic growl came from behind him. Zak tried to look behind him, but the oil ran up his skin and swallowed him.

Xxx

"_Bruhooooh! Ruhroooh!_"

"Ernie!" I called as I walked into the house.

Ernie came thumping up to me, his tail wagging and drool hanging off of his mouth. I laughed at him as I walked in. I sat my bag on the table and walked over to the counter to get a paper towel. I ripped a few sheets off and bent over to wipe Ernie mouth. I didn't want him making a slimy puddle for one of us to slip in.  
After wiping Ernie's mouth, I could hear the sound of Indian music blasting from upstairs. Confused, I walked over to the staircase and peered up it. It seemed the music was coming from the bedroom. I was about to walk up the staircase to investigate, when my phone began ringing in my pocket. I pulled myself away from the stairs and answer my phone. Low and behold, it was Aaron.

"Hey, bro. What's up?" I answered.

"Hey, I can't figure this camera out," he said.

"Well, Aaron, I don't know what to tell you. What's wrong with it?" I asked.

"It won't work!" he exclaimed.

I laughed.

"That's Canon for you," I said jokingly.

"Michael, I'm serious! I need some help. I paid nearly three grand for this damn thing!" Aaron said.

"Oh! Well, I see you paid too much," I teased.

"Mikey!" Aaron growled.

I burst out laughing.

"Okay, okay! Tell me what's wrong with it," I said

I walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Ernie came up beside me and laid his heavy head in my lap with a grunt. I scratched his ears as I spoke with Aaron.

"It won't turn on!" Aaron squeaked.

"Well, there should be some battery life. They usually have some charge on the battery when you first unbox it. Maybe you put it in backwards?"

"No, 'cause the lid won't close if it's in wrong," Aaron said.

Well, we ruled that one out.

"Hmm, well maybe the switch is bad. I hope you kept the receipt," I said.

"I kept it but...AH! Why won't-oh wait!"

I waited a second. I heard the sound of cardboard and paper, then the sound of a plastic wrapper.

"Um, I forgot to put the battery in," he said meekly.

I burst out laughing and fell over onto the table top.

"Shut up," Aaron said.

"I'm sorry. That's funny. Well, put it in and see if it's charged," I said.

"Okay."

I listened as Aaron ripped open the package.

"Watch it still not work," I said.

"Mikey, shut the fuck up!" Aaron shouted.

I laughed again. On the end, I could hear the camera start up.

"Victory! Yes!" Aaron exclaimed happily.

"There ya go," I said.

Aaron laughed.

"Thanks, Mikey. Hey, Mikey?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"What's that noise in the background?" he asked.

It was then I noticed that the music from upstairs had gotten louder.

"Something weird Zak has playing. I have no idea," I told him.

"Hmm. Oh! I bet he's meditating. That sounds like his meditation music," Aaron said.

I wrinkled my nose.

"That's what he relaxes to?" I asked.

Aaron laughed.

"You married a weirdo, sis," he said.

I shook my head, smiling.

"Well, I need to go say hi to Weirdo. Have fun with your new toy, bro," I said.

"Oh, I'll probably play with this late into the night," he said.

I just laughed.

"I'll talk to you later, Aaron. Thanks for letting me go with you," I said.

"Hey! No prob. Go see your man. I'll talk you later."

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I put my phone down and looked back at the stairs. Zak was deep into his meditation. I knew he did it, but he hadn't needed to since I had been living with him. I wanted to go say hi, since I hadn't seen much of him today, but I didn't want to interrupt him.  
I looked down at my bag that still contained the flash I had bought.

"Guess I could go try this out," I said to myself.

I looked down at Ernie, who looked up at me. A lightbulb went off in my head.

"Come on, pup. Gracie!"

Gracie came running in from down the hall. She padded up to me and sat down.

"Come on, guys," I said.

I stood and led both dogs down the hall and into my office. Inside, I pulled up a large plastic tub I had sitting in the closet and a couple of light boxes I had not used since I did a shoot for the middle school band back home. I was sure the bulbs were still good. There was also a white bed sheet that I kept for backdrops. With a roll of clear tape, I set up my mini-studio. Zak and I need new pictures of our dogs, so I was going to have a doggie photoshoot. The only problem has getting Ernie's stubborn ass to sit still.  
Later, Gracie's patience ran out and she ended up leaving to find something else to do. Ernie thought of the sheet as a bed and plopped down on it. He wouldn't sit up, so I laid down on my stomach and took pictures of the sleepy hound that way. The new flash I got was working great, and I almost wished my old flash had broken sooner. As far as I was concerned, it was well worth the money.  
While I was taking shots and experimenting with angles and lenses, Zak appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, babe," he said softly.

I looked up from my viewfinder and smiled at him. His black hair was limp and his eyelids were droopy. He looked ready for bed, but I knew he had gotten _some_ sleep in.

"Hey, gorgeous," I said.

"I didn't know you were home. I would have come down," he said.

I resumed shooting pictures of Ernie.

"I didn't want to disturb you, so I just preoccupied myself until you were done," I explained.

Zak looked around at my setup.

"I can see that," he said.

I smiled at him.

"I got some good ones of Gracie," I said.

"Awesome. Sweetie, when you get done, can you come into the living room?" he asked.

I looked up at him, wondering if I should be concerned. The tone of his voice threw me off.

"Um, sure thing. Let me clean up in here and I'll be in there in a minute," I said.

Zak nodded as he pulled away from the doorway.

"No rush," he said.

I watched him as he left the doorway and listened to his feet as he moved down the hall and into the kitchen. No rush my ass!  
I scrambled to my feet and turned off my equipment and cleaned up quickly. Ernie was passed out on the sheet, so I left him and walked down the hall. In the living room, I found Zak stretched out on the couch watching television.

"Hey," I said softly.

Zak looked at me over his shoulder.

"Hey, come here, babe," he said, scooting to sit up.

I walked in and around the front of the couch. Zak waved me over.

"Come lay with me," he said.

Well, I couldn't say no to that. I sat down on the couch. Zak pulled me into him. I laid down on his chest and wrapped my arms around him. Zak did the same and kissed my forehead. I could sense that something was weird. Something was different. Not on the level that Aaron and I were talking about, but close.  
Zak pressed his nose into my hair, not really smelling it, but just kind of nuzzling me.

"Did you and Aaron have a good trip?" he asked.

"Yeah. Did you have a good nap?" I asked.

Zak exhaled.

"I had one hell of a nightmare, for starters," he said.

I sat up a little and looked at him.

"What kind of a nightmare?" I asked worriedly.

Zak just shook his head.

"One where you wake up on the floor tangled in the comforter and you can't find your way out and your fear you're going to suffocate," he replied.

"What the hell happened in the nightmare?" I asked.

Zak shook his head again.

"I don't want it to scare you," he said.

"Zak, you're already scaring me," I told him.

"Michael, it was a demonic dream. I know you don't like dealing with that kind of shit. Just leave it to me. I'll-"

I sat up and put my index to his lips.

"Stop it. If this shit is fucking with you, then it's crossing the line. I won't stand for that anymore. I don't want a repeat of what happened to you in Ohio."

"Michael, you could get hurt. Just let me handle it," he argued.

"Zak, you heard what your attachment told us. Whether it's true or not is inevitable. I'm going to fight this with you. No one fucks with my vampire. Hell no!"

Zak smiled and reached up to kiss me. We broke away and I settled back down, nuzzling into the crook of his neck as he wound an arm around my waist.

"I couldn't keep my last promise to you, but I'm going to keep this one. I promise to save you from this. I don't know how, but I will," I said.

Zak looked down at me and kissed me.

"I fucking love you so much," he murmured.

I combed my fingers through his hair and held his head against me.

"I love you, too, Zak."

Zak had fought and swore to protect me, and it was time to give back.


	17. Odors

**Pelham, NH**  
**9:00 A.M.**

"Oh my God! Look at my hair!"

I looked around the back of the Expedition to see Zak leaned over, looking at himself in the rearview mirror. I smiled and tossed my backpack in the back before leaving Aaron and Billy. Zak was picking at long pieces of hair curling behind his ear.

"I need a haircut," he grumbled.

I walked up behind him and wrapped my arms around him, perching my chin on his shoulder.

"You look fine," I said.

I reached up and played with the pieces he had been picking at. His hair was so feather soft, it slid right through my fingers. It was impossible to get a grip on it. I bet his hairdresser had to spray water all over his head to get anything done.

"Are you kidding me?" Zak asked me, laughing.  
I buried my face in his neck and kissed it.

"I don't give a damn how you look," I mumbled into his neck.

I had actually always wondered what Zak would look like with longer hair.

"I'm going to have to wear a baseball crap the entire time we're filming," he whined, "It's too long to put it up."

Billy popped out around the corner.

"Hey! I have some safety scissors in my bag," Billy said, "We could just cut all of that off right now."

Zak turned his head and looked at Billy in terror. Aaron reemerged after shutting the back door.

"Dude, you could totally have an Aaron-Do," Aaron teased while rubbing his bald head.

I let go of Zak so he could turn around fully.

"No! Hell fucking no! No one messes with the do, alright? No one touches my hair," Zak said, getting flustered and angry that the guys would even dare say such things.

It was funny, though.

"Well, Mikey gets to touch it," Aaron pointed out.

Zak smirked at him.

"Oh, Mikey gets to touch lots of things," he said.

I felt my eyes bug out and my mouth drop. My arms went flying as I slapped Zak's bicep and smacked him in the stomach. It didn't hurt him any, though. In fact, he was dying laughing.

"No fighting!" Billy scolded.

Zak grabbed my wrists in an iron grip. I couldn't do anything-except kick, but I wasn't going to do that.

"I'm so going to get you for that," I hissed to him.

Zak gave me this...just...gah! This sexy smile. His eyes looked like the blue fire on top of Hades head from Disney's _Hercules_.

"What are you gonna do, babe? Punish me?" he asked.

I just winked, but I had a better idea.

"All I can say is, don't come crying to me when you find a bald spot on the back of your head," I replied.

"Ah, dude!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak looked like I had shot Gracie between the eyes right in front of him. I had a feeling that a fight was about to ensue.

"You wouldn't dare!" he challenged.

I made a buzzing sound, as if I really intended to grab his shaver and take it to the back of his head while he slept.  
I smirked at him.

"You'll see," I sang.

Zak returned the smirk. I think I just declared war.

Aaron went ahead and climbed into the SUV, leaving Zak and I standing in the hotel parking lot alone. Zak gave me a huge bear hug. I nearly couldn't breathe.

"Zak!" I whined.

Zak tilted his head down to speak into my ear.

"I love you," he murmured.

I smiled. I think this was his way of getting out of trouble. Dearest Zachary, it doesn't work that way with me.

"I love you, too, but you're still in trouble," I told him.

Zak cupped my face and kissed me passionately-probably more passionately than he ever had. The boys inside the SUV started whooping and hollering at us.  
Zak broke away from me.

"Still in trouble," I said breathlessly.

"Damn!" he hissed.

I just smiled mischievously at him.

"Can you at least tell me when I'm going to get punished?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"Where would the fun be in that?" I asked.

Billy started the SUV and honked. Aaron rolled down the window.

"Guys, come on. We're late to get Nick," he said.

I left Zak and hopped in the backseat with Aaron. Zak shot me a look as he climbed in to the passenger side. Aaron leaned over to me and nudged my arm.

"I don't like it when he's playful," he whispered.

I laughed.

"Scary, isn't it?"

Aaron nodded in agreement. I had some thinking to do. How shall I punish Zak?

Xxx

We were taking a small road-trip for this lockdown. Zak, Aaron, Billy and I flew out from Vegas to New Hampshire and spent the night at a hotel in Pelham. From there, we were going to go pick up Nick at his house and drive out to a cemetery in Maine. I was excited. New England cemeteries always seemed to be highly active, and if it was like my first investigation in Vermont, extremely cool.  
As we pulled in to Nick's driveway, a sudden odor flew up my nose.

"Ah! Who did that?" I asked.

Billy laughed.

"Probably Aaron," he said.

Aaron and I both pulled the collars of our shirts over our noses.  
"Bro, that wasn't me. It was probably Michael," Aaron said.

"I swear that wasn't me!" I exclaimed.

Zak was completely silent as he played a game on his phone. All of us stared at him, but he didn't look up or say a word.  
I pulled my collar back down and reached in the floor for a neck pillow one of them had brought along. I then slung it around the seat and hit Zak with it.

"Michael!" Zak barked.

"You fucking farted!"

Zak spun around and stole the pillow from me.

"I don't fart," he said.

"Oh, whatever, dude! You fart more than all of us put together!" Aaron exclaimed.

I groaned at the smell still lingering and put my collar back over my nose.

"Smells like eggs," I complained.

"Bro, it was probably that damn breakfast burrito you had before we left," Aaron said.

Billy leaned against the door and gave Zak a dirty look.

"What?" Zak asked innocently.

"Are you sure you don't need to wipe?" he asked.

I started laughing at that.

"We'll get halfway down the road and we'll have to have a poop break," Aaron said.

"Guys, shut up. Nick's coming," Zak said.

Nick opened up the back of the SUV and threw his stuff in. Veronique and Annabelle came walking out to say goodbye to Nick. She spoke with us for a minute as well.

"Who's sitting in the middle?" Aaron asked me.

I shrugged.

"I will," I volunteered.

Aaron traded spots with me and I sat in the middle. When Nick opened the door, he greeted Aaron and I with a smile.

"'Sup, guys?"

"Hi, Nick!" Aaron, Zak and I said in unison.

Nick sat his bag that he kept his laptop and such in for when we were on the road into the floor and sat down beside me, shutting the door. He rolled down the window and gave his wife and daughter a quick kiss on the cheek before we headed off.  
As we backed out of the driveway, Nick sniffed.

"What smells like ass?" he asked.

Aaron and I exchanged glances before snorting, trying to contain our laughter.

Xxx

A few miles down the road, I began to get bored. I had my laptop, iPod, and a book to read, but I wasn't in the mood. Aaron had leaned against the window and had fallen asleep. Nick had his earbuds plugged in, so I couldn't strike up a conversation with either of them. Billy and Zak of course were up, but I couldn't think of anything to talk about.  
I sighed and propped my feet up on the console between Zak and Billy's elbows. They took no notice. I tilted my right foot, tapping Zak's tattooed arm.

"What, babe?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

Zak went back to his phone. Being the ornery turkey that I am, I began repeatedly tapping my foot against his arm. I wasn't really trying to piss him off or anything. I just wanted to play. Apparently, Zak's playful mood was still going.  
My tapping had sped up before Zak smacked the thin sole of my TOMS. I smiled, pleased about getting the kind of reaction I was looking for. Every tap I made resulted in him playfully swatting my foot as he tried to focus on his game. We had starting going back and forth before Billy got fed up.

"Guys, stop, please. That's really distracting," he said.

Zak and I quit our playing, but I found another way to annoy Zak that wasn't so noisy. Lifting my foot, I pointed my toe and pressed it right into his cheek. Zak dropped his phone in his lap and snatched my ankle with one strong hand, the other yanking my shoe off.

"Zak!" I whined.

"Quit being a shit," he said.

Oh, but darling, that's what I was born for!

I pulled my feet away from him, placing my shoed and shoeless feet in the floor with the blankets and backpacks. I crossed my arms and pretended to huff.

"Well! Love you, too," I said.

Zak turned to look at me and pouted. I had to force myself to hold back a smile of victory. Was it really that easy for me to get out of trouble?

"Come here, sweetie," he said softly.

I leaned forward. Zak leaned backwards and gave me a kiss of apology.

"Here's your shoe," he said, handing me my shoe.

"Thank-you, bubele," I said and slipped on my shoe.

I was expecting him to pop off and tell me I was in trouble or that maybe I was still a little shit, but he turned to Billy instead. I reached into my bag and pulled out my laptop and a DVD to watch.

"Bill, I hate to do this to you," he began.

Billy worriedly glanced over at him.

"But I've gotta shit really bad," Zak finished.

I snorted.

"You were told," I said.

Zak shrugged.

"Bro, we have about five miles until the next town. You think you can hold it?" Billy asked.

Zak squirmed in his seat.

"Yeah, but it'll be a photo finish," he said.

Billy laughed at that.

"We have toilet paper just incase," I said as I slid a disc into the drive.

We always packed emergency toilet paper. You never know where you might get stuck and have to go.

"Bro, don't shit your pants," Billy said to Zak, "We don't need this thing smelling worse than it does now."

Zak shifted and leaned heavily on the middle console.

"I'm not going to shit. Let's just stop talking about it," Zak said.

After that, there was silence. Up ahead of us, coming the opposite way was something I couldn't help but open my mouth about.

"Hey, look! A _dump_ truck!"

"MICHAEL!"

Xxx  
**The following evening.**  
**Pre-lockdown**

Billy and I sat in the back of the Expedition doing a little bit of equipment tech work while Zak sat on the back bumper and marked on a map of the cemetery with a marker. Nick was off doing an interview and Aaron was out shooting b-roll, so it was just us chilling and snacking before lockdown time.

"Why didn't Jay get to come?" I asked curiously.

"He's working on another project. He'll get to come with us next time," Billy replied.

I nodded and turned on the digital recorder I was changing batteries out of. Confirming it was in working order, I placed it with the working recorders.  
I moved to the next trunk and opened it. Inside were four big black things. Upon further inspection, I realized what they really were.

"What the hell are these?" I asked.

Billy looked up to see me pick up a one of the things out of their case.

"Full-spec cameras," Billy replied.

"Pfft! Billy, these are freaking game cameras!" I said.

Billy just grinned.

"My grandpa had these strapped to trees all over his ranch. He'd always think he'd catch Big Foot or something. Did you guys really run around with these shooting photos?"

"Yup," Zak said, "Where did we find those, Billy? Bass Pro?"

I started cracking up.

"Hey, we were creative. They work really well," Zak said, "You can use them tonight if you want."

I was about to turn the offer down, seeing as I didn't want to run around with a big, clunky game camera in my face, but remembering the game cameras back at my Grandpa's gave me an idea. The entire perimeter of the cemetery was heavily wooded, leaving plenty of trees to work with.  
I quickly gathered up the cameras and checked them to see if they had memory cards and good batteries. Then, I stacked them and carried them out of the SUV.

"What on Earth are you doing, sweetheart?" Zak asked.

I turned back around and picked up a new roll of duct tape, seeing as we didn't have any bungee cords or anything.

"Going to go set these up," I replied.

Zak watched me juggle the cameras.

"Okay, but let me know where they're located so I can mark their location," he said.

"Can do," I told him as I walked off for the cemetery gate.

I tip-toed through the cemetery in search of the perfect tree. I hated walking off of the path and into the grass. I always felt like I was walking on top of sleeping people. Back home, when I'd sneak into the cemetery at night to take silhouette shots, I always stayed on the path. At the moment, as I maneuvered between broken, eroded, and crooked tombstones, I felt the need to apologize.  
After finding my perfect tree, I placed the game camera where I wanted it and began to tape it to the tree. The tape did not adhere to the tree's bark very well, so I had to use a load of tape. When I finally got the camera mounted, I had to laugh. It looked like a redneck patch job. When I looked down at my tape, the majority of the roll was missing.  
I groaned and looked around the cemetery. The place was huge, so I knew I would definitely be using all four cameras.

"I'm gonna need more tape," I said to myself.

Xxx

Nick had finished his interview and was walking back to the SUV with Aaron. They found Billy gnawing on a beef jerky stick and Zak equipping himself for lockdown. He and Aaron put their interview cameras away and got their night vision cameras ready to go. Aaron noticed that Michael was missing.

"Where's Mikey-moo?" he asked.

"She's setting up full-spec cameras," Billy replied, "She's gone through two rolls of tape already."

Nick raised an eyebrow, perplexed.

"What does she need tape for?" he asked.

"Knowing her," Zak spoke up, "She's probably duct-taping cameras to tombstones."

Nick smiled at that.

"Bro, can I talk to you for a second?" Nick asked Zak.

Zak nodded and walked away from the SUV with Nick. They stood over by the gate. A flash of movement near the back of the cemetery caught Zak's eye. He looked over to see Michael working on a camera. He then looked back at Nick.

"What's up?" he asked casually.

Nick stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Mikey texted me the other day and told me you had a pretty frightening dream," he said.

Zak nodded.

"I've been fine since," Zak shrugged.

Nick nodded and twisted his lips as he thought.

"What do you think it was?" Nick asked.

Zak inhaled deeply and exhaled sharply out of his nose as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"A warning," Zak said lowly.

Zak watched a flash of terror cross over Nick's eyes. He knew the Crew was worried about him. Nick had witnessed brutal attacks on both Bagans'-one he had to turn around, close his eyes, and cover his ears because of what happened to Michael once. Zak knew Nick had every right to be worried, but Zak wouldn't let him be too concerned.

"Nick, I'll be fine. Don't worry about it," Zak said.

"I'm just scared of what this is doing to you, man," Nick said.

"Bro, if worst comes to worst," Zak placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'll just turn into the Hulk and smash."

Nick cracked a smile.

"You do that already without turning big and green," Nick joked.

Zak playfully smacked Nick's arm.

"Come on," Zak said, "Mikey's heading back. Let's go get ready for lockdown."

Xxx

**7:00 P.M.**

"This cemetery is becoming notorious for it's frequent, and often aggressive hauntings. It has become known as one of the most haunted locations in New England. Tonight, the Ghost Adventures Crew are going to be devirginizing this location to see for ourselves how haunted this field of death really is. Tonight, Nick, Aaron and myself are going to be joined by our audio tech, Billy Tolley, and our photographer, Mikey Bagans. They're going to help us investigate the ginormous cemetery. We're going to try and cover this is entire place. From what we've heard, every inch of this cemetery is crawling with spirits that really aren't at rest. This place has been subjected to vandalism and even grave-robbery in the 1940s. A vintage hearse can also be seen traveling up and down the paths between plots. It is also a place where a young woman in the 70s hung herself. A doctor from the 1920s named Otis Penderghast is also said to be roaming the grounds in search of his head," Zak explained to Nick's camera.

"Sounds like The Headless Horseman," Aaron said and laughed.

"Or any version of the Golden Arm story," I said.

"I don't think I've heard that one," Zak said.

"Oooh! I have!" Nick spoke up.

"You'll have to tell me later. Right now, let's get started. Aaron," Zak said.

"Oh God," Aaron groaned, but it went ignored by Zak.

"I want you to go down to the back corner and investigate over at Dr. Penderghast's tombstone. Nick and I are going to go to the spot where the lady committed suicide. Billy and Michael, I want you guys to just hunt around and see what you can find. Later, we'll switch off and hunt in different spots. Are you ready, guys?" Zak asked.

We all shook our heads. We did our collective fist bump and then paired off, all of us going separate ways.  
For two hours, Billy and I roamed the perimeter of the cemetery in search of anything. During our walk, we didn't even spot the guys.

"It feels so lonely out here. Kind of like we're the only two left on Earth and everyone else is dead," Billy said solemnly.

It did feel like that.

"How depressing, Billy," I commented.

"Well, that's just how I feel. Come on. Let's go up to the center and try and EVP session," he suggested.

I agreed and followed him up the center gravel drive. We stopped in the intersection and sat down for a break on the rocks. Billy began his EVP session while I began taking pictures. I didn't even pause for review. I was desperate to capture something. Maybe catch a spirit off guard.

"Is there anyone out here who wants to talk with us. Any spirits not at rest?" Billy asked.

I looked around, squinting in the darkness. Far off near the back of the cemetery, I could see the dim lights of Nick and Zak's flashlights. I could also faintly hear Zak's loud voice as it carried across the cemetery.

"He's going to contaminate my evidence!" Billy complained.

I smiled at Billy.

"At least we know where he is," I said.

Billy made a "Pfft!" noise.

"He makes sure you know," he said.

I laughed. That was somewhat true.

Billy finished his EVP session. We had been sitting in the gravel for a long time, waiting for Zak to radio us so we can all switch partners. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and looked at the time. It was 12:02 A.M.  
I groaned and laid down on my back.

"I want to see that ghost hearse," I said.

"Wouldn't that be a neat picture?" Billy asked.

"Dude, that would be so awesome!" I said.

Billy stood do his feet.

"Well, come on! Let's go find it," he said.

"Billy, how do we find a ghost hearse?" I asked.

Billy shrugged.

"We dig a hole?" he asked.

"Billy, we're not digging-"

A distant scream interrupted us. I scrambled to my feet.  
"What the hell?" Billy asked.

"That sounded like Aaron," I said.

"Let's go!" Billy said.

Billy and I took off running towards the sound of Aaron's voice. In the distance, Billy and I could hear Nick and Zak yelling for Aaron.  
We ran to the back corner of the cemetery to see Aaron running out of the woods. Zak and Nick came running up and immediately pinched their noses. That's when Billy and I noticed the sulphuric odor.

"What is that smell?" Nick asked.

Zak jogged up to Aaron.

"What happened, bro?" he asked.

"I heard something in the bushes, so I followed it and on my camera I saw this black blob go across my screen and that's when I came running back out," Aaron explained.

Zak motioned for Aaron to hand over his camera. As he reviewed the footage, his eyes grew huge.

"Michael, analyze this. See if you can figure out what this is. It looks like a black mist," Zak said.

I walked over to him and looked at the screen. Zak replayed the footage. What I saw definitely surprised me, but it was not anything I would worry about. That's probably why they looked at me weird when I burst out laughing.

"Aaron, that's a skunk. You must have scared it and got sprayed," I said.

"Are you serious?" Zak asked.

He played back the footage and sure enough, a fluffy, striped animal flashed across the screen.

"Is that why it smells so bad out here?" Aaron asked.

I shook my head.

"Yes, Aaron," I replied.  
Nick groaned.

"What is it about everything smelling like ass today?" he asked.

Billy and I laughed.

After settling the mystery of the skunk, we all traded off. Billy stayed with Aaron, Nick went off on his own, and I went with Zak.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"Over to this back corner. This is where a lot of the graves were that got robbed," he explained.

That was so weird.

"Why would anybody want to rob a grave?" I asked.

Just thinking about digging up a freshly buried coffin and opening it made my skin crawl.

"I thought that maybe the bodies had been buried with gold or something, but the people I spoke with said that the graves mostly belonged to famous people or important people that lived in town-people that some didn't like at all. Politicians and stuff, probably," Zak explained further.

I nodded.

"What would they do with the bodies?" I asked, wondering why anyone would even want one.

Zak shrugged.

"Some were recovered. Others were never found again. Robbers would dishonorably mutilate the bodies or throw them in a lake or something. Most of the time it was done just as a middle finger to the person the body belonged to, the family, and the town. I have no idea what else people did," he said.

I shivered. Just talking about bodies made my skin crawl.

"That's sick," I commented.

"Very," Zak agreed, "Whoa! Check this out!"

Zak pointed his flashlight and camera towards a plot that seemed empty. I followed him along the gravel path and out into the grass. A large tree had grown up in the middle of the patch of graves, large roots ruining the ground and knocking over tombstones. It really was not the most favorable spot to bury a loved one.

"This is where the city buried the bodies that were recovered. Some were identified and given a stone like this one," Zak said, shining his light down on your stereotypical dome-top stone, "But some-"

As I followed along, not having any source of light to go by save for Zak's flashlight, I tripped and almost face-planted into the grass and twigs. However, I caught myself and Zak grabbed my arm.

"Careful, Michael," he said.

I turned around.

"What in the hell did I trip over?" I asked.

Zak shined his light down at the spot where I had almost taken a tumble.

"That," Zak replied.

Down on the ground was a small, stone cube with moss growing on one side.

"What is that?" I asked as I approached it to inspect it.

"Grave marker," Zak replied.

I turned back to Zak and raised an eyebrow at him.

"A grave marker?" I asked.

Zak nodded.

"Some recovered bodies were unrecognizable to the police, so they just buried them with a marker like that one," Zak explained.

I shivered again.

"No wonder their souls aren't at rest," I said.

"Mhmm," Zak agreed.

Zak walked over to the large tree, crouched against it, and began a spirit box session. I walked around and began to take stills, making sure I got several shots of the markers. As Zak was making contact with a spirit who wanted to talk to him, I moved closer to the tree-line to avoid the annoying static produced by the spirit box. Being in the darker corner alone was a little unnerving, but I left my flash on full blast. Plus, I had a pocket knife on me and my own flashlight, so I was prepared.  
Facing the trees, I took a picture, mainly to scare off animals. I didn't want any skunk contamination or anything. However, as I watched the trees when the flash went off, I noticed something strange. I skipped over a few graves and got closer to the trees. I took another picture, but right as my flash went off, a loud pop erupted from it. My camera made beeping noises and the lens whirred before the whole system shut off.

"What the hell?" I asked out loud.

I fished my little flashlight out of my pocket and turned it on. Upon hearing the pop, Zak left the tree and jogged over to me.

"What was that noise?" he asked.

I shined my light on the flash. The light bulb had exploded, busting out the plastic and was beginning to smoke. I had never seen anything like it!

"The flash exploded," I said, pulling the busted flash off of the hot shoe.

"How?" Zak asked, making sure he got the broken piece of equipment on camera.

"I don't know! That was a brand new flash, too!" I complained.

Zak took the flash out of my hand to inspect it.

"Guess I know what I'm getting you for your birthday," Zak joked.

I just rolled my eyes.

"Is your camera alright? That's the new one we got you," he said.

I pulled my camera up to check it. I tried turning it on, but there was nothing.

"It's dead. The battery must have been drained," I concluded.

"That's possible. There's a weird vibe in this area. What were you doing over here?" Zak asked.

I pointed over to the trees.

"I was taking pictures when I saw what I thought was sheet metal. I saw it when the flash went off. So, I took another picture with the flash and I saw a shed back there," I said.

"A shed?" Zak asked.

I nodded. Zak looked confused.

"That wasn't on the map. The only metal structure out here is the garage they keep the excavator in in the front," he said.

I shrugged.

"I saw what I saw," I responded.

"Show me," Zak said.

I took Zak's hand and led him through the trees. We didn't have to go far before we found an old shed sitting in a clearing. It was made out of rusted crinkled sheet metal and patched up with slightly newer pieces of matching metal.

"Boy, that is certainly camouflaged out here. No wonder I didn't see it on the walkthrough," Zak said.

I was curious about the structure. I suddenly felt like a picker instead of a paranormal photographer. I wanted to see what was inside.

"Oooh! Maybe the hearse people keep seeing is in there!" I said excitedly.

Zak smiled.

"It could very well be. Let's go check it out," he said.

I jogged over excitedly to the shed. On one side was an opening with no door. I walked into the doorway and was instantly disappointed. No dusty antique car of any kind. Instead, there was only dirt, a broken shovel, and a pile of rubble. As my eyes adjusted, though, I realized what I was looking at.

"What did you find?" Zak asked, approaching me from behind.

I tried to shoot out of the shed and run, but Zak caught me.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. It's okay, sweetie. It's just a bunch of old coffins," Zak said.

"I don't care," I argued.

Zak held me tightly by the waist. The vibe in here was no good. I should have known better than to have come out here.  
Zak slowly walked in, filming and inspected the tossed away coffins.

"You know something is up when coffins are laying around in a cemetery. Zak, these are supposed to be in the ground!"

"I know, sweetie. Just calm down. Let me look at these," he said.

"I don't want to be over here. Zak, what if those are coffins that grave robbers hid?" I asked.

Zak stepped around the pile, inspecting it.

"It sure looks like that, doesn't it?" he asked.

I fidgeted nervously. I don't want to go inside, but I didn't want to stay outside either. Knowing I'd be safer with Zak, I slowly walked in. I walked over to his side, almost touching him, I was so close.  
Zak shined his light up to a casket turned on its side.

"These coffins are definitely used. That one a...stain in it," Zak said.

I caught a flash of browned stain inside the aforementioned casket before I turned away and cringed. Zak looked down and froze up.

"Oh, holy hell," he said.

I looked down before Zak could stop me. Down inside an open casket at our feet was a piece of something that I prayed was a Halloween prop. It certainly didn't look like it, though.

"Is that a fucking arm?" Zak asked fearfully.

"That's what it looks like," I said.

Zak leaned over and looked inside. He got near it before he sniffed and had to back up quickly.

"Oh my God! It still has rotting flesh on it!" he exclaimed.

I jumped away from the coffin.

"Are you serious?" I squeaked out.

Zak nodded.

"I kid you not," he replied.

I cringed and forced myself not to gag as I turned away. When I did, I regretted it.

"Um, Zak?" I asked.

"What?" Zak asked, turning around.

Sitting in the dirt, with fresh soil still sticking to it, was much newer looking coffin.

"Oh. My. God!" Zak exclaimed.

"Is there still grave robbing going on?" I asked.

Zak shrugged and fumbled for his walkie-talkie.

"Nick, come in," he said into it.

"Yeah, g?" Nick responded.

"Dude, Mikey and I just stumbled across something. I need you to go find Aaron and Billy and go straight to the front gate and wait for us," Zak said.

"What the hell did you find?" Nick asked.

Zak groaned.

"Just do as I say," Zak ordered.

"Where are you guys?" Nick asked.

"Southwest corner. We're in a shed in the woods," Zak replied.

"Okay. I'm gonna go get Aaron and Billy and head over there," Nick said.

"Nick!" Zak barked at him.

"Then we'll go to the front, bro," Nick said.

Zak growled and put his walkie-talkie back into it's holster.

Before too long, we heard the guys called our names.

"Over here!" Zak called.

Aaron, Nick, and Billy ran out of the trees and over to us.

"What did you guys find?" Billy asked.

Aaron looked down at me and frowned.

"What's wrong, short stuff? You look so pale," he said worriedly.

"She doesn't like being in there," Zak answered for me, "Come look at his, guys."

Aaron put a reassuring arm around my shoulders. Zak took Billy and Nick inside and showed them what we found while Aaron and I stood in the doorway.

"Holy shit! This is fucked up shit is still going on here?" Nick exclaimed.

Zak crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's what it looks like," he said.

Nick looked down at his watch.

"It's 1:30. We really shouldn't be in here," he said.

"I agree," I spoke up, "If this is still going on, who's to say they won't come up here tonight?"

Zak nodded.

"And if they see our SUV up at the front, we're in for it," Zak said.

"Fuck that!" Aaron said, "If they see us in here, we're dead!"

Outside the shed, we heard a loud crunch that made us all freeze.

"Run," was all Zak said.

With that, Zak ran over to me and grabbed my hand, making sure that he didn't lose me on our escape. Aaron tore off ahead, followed by Billy and Nick. This reminded me of the horror trail we went on a few Halloweens ago, except this was real horror.  
While we ran, Zak radioed the sheriff to unlock the gates. He was there by the time we reached them.

"Get scared, did you?" he asked.

"No," Zak said.

The sheriff opened the gates. Aaron, Nick, Billy and I filed out.

"What about out equipment?" Aaron asked.

"Bro, we'll come back for it in the morning," Nick said.

Zak approached the sheriff.

"Is there a shed out here the city uses to store coffins?" Zak asked him.

"Why would there be a need to store them? They're supposed to be in the ground!" the sheriff replied.

Zak glanced up worriedly at us.

"Then I have something I need to show you," he said.

"Well, let's see," the sheriff said.

Zak told us to stay in the Expedition until he returned. We obeyed, far too shocked to argue, and piled into the SUV. While we waited, two police cruisers and a black SUV similar to our rental pulled up.  
Aaron pulled out his camera that he had been using to film the show and began filming the cars and officers.

"I think this is the first time we've ever had to call the cops on an investigation," Aaron said excitedly.

"And the FBI. This is crazy!" Nick said.

We watched curiously as the four officers and two (what we thought were, anyways) FBI agented walk through the gates.  
Just then, several loud bangs went off. All of us in the SUV jumped and the officers and agents took off running to the back corner were the noises were heard.

"Were those gunshots?" Aaron shouted.

Another round went off, causing us to duck.

"Holy shit!" Nick screamed.

Billy got in position to turn the key.

"We may have to book it out of here, guys," he announced.

I felt my eyes pop.

"Billy, Zak's out there!" Nick pointed out.

"We can't leave him!" I all but cried.

"Michael, we may not have a choice," Billy said.

"Holy shit! Dude! What if he got shot?" Aaron asked.

"Aaron, shut the fuck up!" I shouted at him.

"Aaron, you're scaring the piss out of her. Stop!" Nick barked at him.

"Guys!" Billy shouted, "Calm down. Stop thinking that way!"

Another gunshot sounded. Aaron grabbed me and made me duck down in the floor with him. I buried myself against Aaron. Aaron hugged me to him as I tried to keep myself from panicking. I could just imagine red lights flashing around us and an ambulance pulling up. Oh God!

"Guys, look!" Nick shouted.

Aaron and I sat up. Outside, an officer had a nasty looking man in handcuffs, followed by and FBI agent carrying a plastic baggy with a handgun in it. I saw officers and agents, but no sheriff or Zak.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"I don't see Za-oh! There he is!" Billy said, pointing.

I finally was able to see a tired looking sheriff and a relieved Zak walking up to the gates. I leapt up and grabbed the door handle.

"Michael, wait!" Aaron shouted.

"Let her go, dude," I heard Nick said.

I hit the ground running and tore off after Zak.

"Ope!" said the sheriff, "Someone was worried about you."

I jumped up onto Zak and hugged him tightly, crying scared, but relieved tears into his neck. Zak held me tightly against him, as if he had no intentions in ever letting me go again.

"Thank God you're okay! I thought you had been shot," I cried.

"Sweetie, I'm fine. Don't cry, Mikey. I'm okay," he soothed, raking his long fingers through my hair in an attempt to comfort me.

I pulled back and kissed him as if I hadn't seen him in years.

"I thought you were dead. I was so scared," I told him.

Zak cupped my face and wiped falling tears away with his thumb.

"I was scared, too, sweetie. But I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about," he said assuringly.

I hugged him again.

"I don't know what I'd do if you died," I murmured into his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Michael. Not any time soon. You can be sure of that," he said.

Aaron, Nick, and Billy barreled out of the SUV and ran from us. Three new pairs of arms wrapped around us, making a huge group hug.

"We thought you were a goner, dude," Aaron said.

"We're so glad that you're alright," Nick said.

Without Zak, there would be no more Ghost Adventures. What would the guys do without him? I knew none of us could handle the loss of Zak. I had already lost my parents, my great-aunt, and our child. Losing Zak would probably kill me. I was so grateful that he had not been shot tonight.  
When we broke away and returned to the SUV, Zak tried to lighten the mood.

"This is another HGAC moment," he said.

We all stared at Zak as we opened the doors.

"First arrest on a lockdown," he elaborated.

The boys agreed. You had to admit, it was kind of cool.

On the drive back to the hotel, I laid my head on Zak shoulder and held his hand tightly.

"I love you," I whispered to him.

Zak turned and held one side of my face as he kissed my forehead. He knew I was still shaken by everything that happened tonight.

"I love you, too, Michael," he murmured.

"We all love you, bro," Billy said to Zak.

Zak looked up at Billy and smiled. Zak had no idea how much we all loved and appreciated him-how much he meant to us.


	18. Michael's Declaration

**Zak and Mikey's House, LV  
April 19th (Nick's Birthday)**

After the events that happened in the cemetery, the city granted us a second night to finish our investigation. Zak and I spoke with the sheriff who had locked us in and he told us that the man they had arrested was part of an underground cult, of all things. They told Zak what the bodies were being used for, but I didn't want to know. In working with the GAC, you would think that death wouldn't bother me, but bodies were just something I could not handle. So, I never wanted to know what the cult did with the bodies in the caskets we found. The police said that not all the caskets were from recent digs. It was not certain whether they were from the infamous grave robbing from back in the day, but it was plausible. Zak had asked how this cult's grave robbing went unnoticed. The police told him that the cemetery we had been investigating was not the only one they had been picking from. They had also robbed surrounding cemeteries in town, from nearby towns, and even out of state. The shed we had found was just a spot where they could transfer their chosen corpse from its casket to their vehicle. They were doing a state wide investigation and arresting cult members like crazy. The sheriff said he would keep us posted and let us know what they were up to. The boys were interested, but I would rather not know. I just could not imagine a sleepy, little town like that having such nasty cult activity. I guess every town had their secrets. I was just glad the law was taking care of it. The things we run into though...insane!  
On part two of our investigation, Aaron made contact with the spirit of Dr. Otis Penderghast, Billy swore up and down that he saw the doctor's head floating around, and Nick had his energy drained to the point where he had to have a time-out. Zak and I didn't have much activity until around 3:00 in the morning. Of course, the spirits would come out during the Witching Hour. Zak caught several EVPs, including one of a child (which scared me, since it could have been a demon), and one of two spirits that seemed to have been talking to each other. I found that one kind of funny, for one had an accent that sounded just like Peter Griffin from _Family Guy_. It was very clear, as well. It had to be my favorite EVP, next to the EVP of Dr. Baker from the Crescent Hotel in Arkansas. I caught very little with my camera. I had to use my back-up flash and wasn't having much luck with it. I caught orbs by the dozens, but I debunked all of them. However, I was hoping the full-spectrum cameras I had mounted to the trees had more evidence.  
Zak and I were at home. Zak had been doing some spiritual detoxing by listening to music and spending time with Gracie and Ernie. I needed some chill time, too, but I wanted to get my work done first. Zak told me repeatedly that I had plenty of time to review, but I was too eager to see what evidence we might have.  
I was sitting in the Man Cave at Zak's computer, reviewing the memory cards out of the game cameras while Zak was playing pool with Gracie. The sound of the balls clacking against each other mixed with Gracie's barking distracted me. Ernie, who was trying to sleep at my feet, would grunt or groan every time Gracie barked. I looked down at him and smiled.

"She won't let you sleep, old man?" I asked.

Ernie opened an eye and looked up at me. He grunted and rolled over. I just laughed and went back to my reviewing. I was honestly surprised Gracie was even in here, since what happened with the eight ball. However, she seemed to have forgiven Zak. I guess chasing colorful balls around a pool table was too much fun.

"Gracie, don't scuff up my pool table!" Zak scolded.

I turned around in my chair. Zak was walking around the table to Gracie. Gracie knew she was in trouble, and ran under the table and jumped up on the other side. Zak just shook his head at her. He glanced over at me to see if I had been watching.

"Can you believe this?" he asked.

I smiled at him.

"She's your dog," I said.

Zak rolled his eyes.

"She acts like a child!" he said.

I laughed and turned back around to the monitor. I had gone through two memory cards now. One was only half full because the battery on the camera it had belonged to either died, or a ghost used it and drained it. The card had nothing on it except for us occasionally passing by. The very last card, however, had two pictures with strange anomalies in it. The first one I didn't see at first. The camera had been out near the back corner where Aaron had seen the skunk. This was the area where the headless Dr. Penderghast was buried.  
I was focusing hard on every picture, making sure that I did not miss anything. Sometimes I would focus too hard and see millions of faces. The mind just worked that way. Pictures would matrix and your brain would play tricks on you. I would have to ask the guys for a second opinion. The picture I was currently analyzing was just like all the others from Camera #2, but I had a feeling there was something different about this one. I had just had to hunt for it. It was like play I Spy. When I saw it, though, I found it hard to miss.

"Holy shit! Zak, come here!" I said excitedly.

Zak put his cue down on the table and walked over to me. He leaned over me, propping one hand on the desk edge and the other on the back of my chair.

"What is it, babe?" he asked.

I pointed to the shadowy apparition near the base of a tombstone.

"That's Penderghast's stone, right?" I asked.

Zak leaned down and squinted.

"I believe so. Yeah. Yeah, that's it. Why? Did you see something?" he asked.

I clicked on the Highlight tool and circled the apparition in red. Zak gasped.

"Holy shit! That looks like a man's head!" he exclaimed.

"That's what I thought, too," I said.

"Maybe it's Penderghast's," he said.

I shrugged.

"It's possible," I said.

"It's like he's coming up from the grave," Zak said excitedly.

I smiled.

"It seems like his head has a mind of its own," I said jokingly.

Zak chuckled.

"Why is his ghost looking for his head? Was he beheaded?" I asked.

Zak nodded.

"He was having an affair with a married woman. Her husband found out and took an ax right to the doctor's head!" Zak said, swinging his arms like a batter would.

I grinned and shook my head.

"You seem to get a kick out of that," I said.

Zak smiled and shrugged, but the way his eyes lit up as he pretended to be the man with the ax disturbed me a little. Honestly, he could be a little scary sometimes.

"But that picture is awesome, Mikey. You need to e-mail that to the guys," Zak said.

"Oh, I will!" I said, getting right on that.

Zak gently grasped my shoulders and leaned over to softly kiss my cheek.

"You never cease to amaze me, sweetheart," he murmured.

I turned my head and beamed at him.

"Thank-you."

Zak smiled and left the man cave with Gracie so I could work in peace. I happily finished up and shut the computer down, proud that I had made my goal once again.

Xxx

_"Zak, you may now kiss the bride."_

Zak cupped my face and molded his lips against mine, our tears mixing together as we kissed and the audience clapped.  
Suddenly, a cold wind whirled around me. When I opened my eyes, the warm lighting in the church had vanished, making the only light source the sunlight coming in through the stained-glass windows. The preacher, Zak, and the rest of the audience had disappeared. My wedding dress had been replaced by a black band t-shirt, jeans, and black tennis shoes. My hair lay limp against my chest. I looked around frantically. Where was everyone? Where had Zak gone? He was just here!  
A clap broke me from my bewilderment. I spun around to see an empty church, void of any flowers, bubbles being blown by Annabelle, or any other wedding decorations. There only stood one person in the pews, wearing a purple tank top, worn jeans, and long, blonde hair. Her skin was tanned and wrinkled, well weathered by California sun. She stepped out into the aisle I had just walked down. Her wrinkles deepened as she smiled at me.

"Aunt Patch?" I asked.

She held her slender arms out.

"Hello, honey," she said.

I took off running and jumped into the arms of my great-aunt. I shed tears I didn't know where prepared to come down.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I pulled away from her.

Patch inhaled deeply.

"Oh, I just want to come. Reminisce about Uncle Pearce, you know? Now, our wedding wasn't nearly this fancy. You have it made here, child," she replied.

I laughed and wiped my eyes.

"You look beautiful, love," Patch said, gently stroking my cheek as she said so.

I looked down and blushed deeply.

"Zak loves you more than anything else in this world," she said.

I shyly picked at my fingernails.

"Well, I love him to death, Aunt Patch," I said.

Patch smiled.

"I know you do. He's going to take good care of you, Michael. He's completely devoted to you," she said.

I tilted my head to the side.

"How do you know?" I asked.

She died before I even got to tell her about my relationship with Zak.

"I heard him," she replied.

My jaw dropped in shock.

"When? Where?" I asked.

The back door that Volta had walked me through opened, revealing a blue-ish white orb of ectoplasmic light, floating and continuously revolving.

"I must go now, Michael, but I need you to know one last thing," she said.

I didn't want her to go.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"That boy is going to need you. You make sure you follow him, okay? You put up a fight like you are a soldier in the army. This is a war you are about to step into. Fight to kill, okay?"

I nodded.

"Save that boy. The world needs people like him. The world still needs answers to the unknown," she said.

I nodded.

"Can you tell me how, Aunt Patch? Can you show me?" I asked.

"I will always be watching over you," was the last thing she said.

The orb pulsed as Patch turned away from me. She walked out the door with it.

"I love you, Aunt Patch," I said.

My words echoed against the churches walls. Patch was gone. I ran for the door, hoping Patch would still be in the parking lot. However, there was nothing but a silver van. Nick and Aaron were packing it up. Neither of them were wearing their tuxes that they had previously been wearing. Zak opened the sliding side door and smiled at me. He waved me over.

"Come on, Mikey. We have ghosts to hunt!" he said.

I smiled at him and ran out into the van.

I woke up to a whine and claws digging into the chair cushion. I opened my eyes to see and sat up. I had fallen asleep at my desk. I don't even remember what I was doing, but my computer had fallen asleep and my mouse was knocked off in the floor. I squinted my eyes, then spotted it and picked it up, replacing it on the desk. My office was dark, save for the lights in the flower bed that illuminated the bay windows, creating a very dim light in the room.  
I slowly got up and walked over to the door, flipping on the fluorescent accent light above the closet. When the room lit up, I jumped when I saw a big black nose and brown eyes pointed right up at me.

"Jesus, Gracie! You scared the shit out of me. I hadn't even realized it was her scratching at my chair.

I looked up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly four in the morning. I didn't even remember it being near midnight when I had fallen asleep. No wonder my back hurt so bad.  
Gracie whined again, breaking my thoughts.

"Do you need out, Grace? Come on. I'll let you out," I said.

I shuffled out of the office and down the dark hall to the kitchen, which was softly illuminated by the garden lights outside. I was wondering why Zak had not come down to wake me up. He must have been out of it.  
I opened the porch door and waited on Gracie. She remained in the hall, staring at me.

"Do you need to pee or not, Gracie?" I asked.

Gracie backed up and barked at me. Frustrated, I slammed the door shut.

"What's your problem, Gracie? Do you want me to go to bed? That was the plan!" I said.

A noise from upstairs caused Gracie's eyes to wheel up towards the ceiling. We both froze as we listened. Gracie whined and trotted back down the hall.  
"Holy shit!" Zak's voice came from upstairs.

Gracie went running, me following close behind her. At the top of the stairs, I could see the white light of the bathroom glowing against the white walls of the house's top floor. I ran up the metal stairs and straight to the bathroom. I found Zak inside in a pair of black shorts, leaning against the sink counter with a washcloth pressed against his neck.

"Zak, what happened?" I asked frantically as I ran in.

He turned to me as I ran up to him.

"It's nothing. I fell out of the bed and I guess I hit my neck on the nightstand," he replied.

"Geez! Here. Sit down and let me have a look," I suggested.

Taking his arm, I led him to the toilet and put the lid down. Zak sat down as Gracie came in. She walked up to him and sat between his legs. I took the washcloth out of hands, keeping the same pressure as he had while he reached to pet his dog.

"Hey, sweetie," he said.

He knew she was worried.

I pulled the washcloth away, thankfully that I didn't get hit in the face with arterial spray. There was just some slowly dripping blood, mixed with water from the cloth.

"Well, I think you'll live. You're not bleeding that bad," I said.

I reached into the cabinet above the toilet and pulled out a baggy of cotton balls and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

"How did this happen? Were you sleeping sideways again?" I asked as I dampened a cotton ball with the peroxide.

"I guess. I don't know. I was having a crazy dream and I guess I got wild and slid off the bed, cutting my neck in the proc-OUCH!"

"Shh! I'm sorry. It'll sting a bit. Be still," I said.

Zak winced. I gently blew on the cut to relieve the stinging. He relaxed after that.

"What kind of a dream were you having?" I asked, turning to get a packet of gauze and surgical tape out.  
Yeah, Zak was well stocked.

"I was fighting monsters. One was particularly nasty. I guess that's when I got really physical. I woke up in the floor," Zak said.

I tore open the gauze packet with my teeth.

"Maybe we need to get a bed guard for you," I said jokingly.

Zak laughed.

"Or I could just start sleeping in the floor," I teased.

Zak just smiled. I peeled off some tape and prepared to put the gauze on, when I noticed that there wasn't a single cut on his neck.

"Um, Zak?" I asked.

"What?" he asked worriedly.

Pulling my gaze away from his neck, I walked over to the counter and grabbed a compact mirror out of my makeup drawer. I then handed it to him. Zak pressed the button to open in and looked at his neck.  
Zak stared on in disbelief. He gently fingered his wound to examine it better.

"Oh. My. God," he said slowly.

"Please tell me you were fighting a tyrannosaurus rex in your dream," I said, but I knew that could not be true.

Zak sighed and closed the mirror. I finished bandaging him up and then put the first-aid supplies away.

"Zak, this can't be starting up again," I said.

Zak stood and ran his fingers over the bandage.

"There's not much I can do about it, Michael. We just have to let it work itself out or find out what it wants," he said.

"Zak, I'm not one for telling you what to do or how you should do things, but I draw the line when it comes to demonic activity. This isn't some shit you can drag down into the dungeon and provoke and play with. Not anymore. You're married now. You have a responsibility," I told him.

"I know, sweetie," he said.

"Where is our next lockdown?" I asked.

Zak was walking towards the bathroom door, when he suddenly grabbed the door jamb. He stiffly spun around to look back at me. He didn't look right. I backed up.

"Why don't you fuck off, you bitch!" he shouted at me.

I felt my jaw drop. Oh, hell no!

Zak began to stalk off, but I chased after him.

"Zachary Bagans, you come here right now!" I ordered.

Zak was headed towards the bedroom. Something was telling me to touch him, so I ran after him and poked his back. Zak stopped walking and shuddered. He turned to look at me and blinked. He looked extremely confused and disoriented.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked.

Zak shook his head.

"What happened? I blacked out," he said.

Shit!

"Well, for starters, you told me to fuck off and you called me a bitch," I said.

Zak looked completely horrified.

"I didn't!"

"You did," I said.

Zak pulled me into a hug.

"Baby, I'm so, so, so, sorry. I've gotta get rid of this thing," he said.

"And soon. Before our next lockdown," I said.

Zak pulled away and nodded.

"Look. I'm going to go make a few calls, okay? Um...go to to Aaron's. He should be up," he said.

"What?" I asked in disbelief.

"Just, please Michael, sweetie, do as I say," he said, almost pleading.

"Zak, I want to stay with you," I said.

A painful expression wiped across Zak's face. I really didn't like leaving him alone when he was like this.

"I know, baby. Just go over to Aaron's for me. I'll come by when I'm done," he said.

I nodded.

"Okay," I whispered.

Zak tilted my head up and tenderly kissed me.

"I'll be okay," he said, "I love you."

"Love you, too," I replied.

Zak turned away from me and headed downstairs. I went into our room to change, collected anything I might need, then headed downstairs to say goodbye to Zak. However, I found the house quiet. The only change was the chandelier in the foyer being left on.  
I walked into the kitchen and opened the door to the garage. Zak's car was gone. I sighed and closed the door. I wasn't sure how long Zak would be gone or how long I would be at Aaron's, so I packed enough for one night and went to pour some dog food into Ziploc baggies. I planned on taking the dogs, too.  
When both Ernie and Gracie were crated and in the bed of my truck, I called Aaron.

"Hey, Mikey!" Aaron answered cheerfully.

"Hey, I'm guessing you're up," I said.

"Oh yeah. I'm just playing with Legos. You're never up this early, though. What's going on?" he asked.

I opened the truck door and hauled myself inside.

"I'm not entirely sure yet. Can I come over?" I asked.

"Of course!" he replied.

"I'm bringing the dogs, too," I told him.

"Oh? What's going on?" he asked.

I sighed.

"I'll explain when I get there."

Xxx

Aaron opened the door for me and took Ernie's crate out of my hands. I hauled Gracie inside the front door and shut it behind me.

"Okay, there's gotta be something going down if you brought the dogs," Aaron said.

I uncrated the dogs and walked off into the living room, heading for Aaron's office area behind it.

"I didn't want to leave them alone at the house," I said.

Aaron followed me in. I plopped down in a chair and unzipped my jacket. Aaron raised an eyebrow at me.

"What do you mean 'alone?' Where's Zak?" Aaron asked worriedly.

I shrugged, absently staring at the keyboard on the table.

"I don't know, Aaron," I said quietly.

"What? He didn't tell you? He just took off?" Aaron exclaimed.

"Aaron, it wasn't like that!" I said, raising my voice.

"Please tell me you guys didn't get into a huge fight," Aaron pleaded.

"Aaron, please calm down and sit. Let me explain," I said.

Aaron's eyebrows knitted together with concern. He pulled a chair out from under the table and sat down.

"Mikes, you're scaring me," he said, now in a more softer tone.

"You don't think I'm scared?" I retorted.

"Well, what the hell happened?" Aaron asked.

I took a deep breath before beginning my story.

"I had fallen asleep in my office. I guess I was shopping online or reading and just crashed. But Gracie came in and woke me up. I thought she wanted out to pee, but she wouldn't go out. That's when I heard Zak shout upstairs, so Gracie and I went running."

"What happened?" Aaron asked.

"Zak thought he had fallen off of the bed and cut his throat open on the side of the nightstand," I replied.

Aaron looked horrified.

"Damn!" he said.

I nodded.

"He said he was having a nightmare and he ended up on the floor bleeding," I said.

"Shit! Why didn't he come get you earlier so you guys could go to bed?" Aaron asked curiously.

I shrugged. I found that part weird, as well.

"He probably went to bed really early and thought I was working, so he didn't bother me. That's the only explanation I can think of," I said.

Aaron thought for a minute.

"Was he acting weird today?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"This morning he was fine. I did some analyzing while he played with Gracie. Come to think of it, though, he was a little distant this afternoon. I don't know if he was just busy or what," I said.

"Hmm," Aaron hummed thoughtfully, "Well, what happened after he got up?"  
"I ran upstairs and helped him out. When I was about to bandage him up, there were three cuts down the side of his neck," I said.

Aaron's jaw dropped.

"Are you fucking serious?" he exclaimed.

I nodded.

"Mikey, this has happened before! After our lockdown at the Ancient Ram Inn, he had a nightmare that a woman was scratching him and woke up with three little scratches on his neck!"

"These weren't little, Aaron! It looked like a damn dinosaur had gotten a hold of him!"

"What the hell?" Aaron squeaked out.

"But, that's not the worst part. I asked him when our next lockdown was, and he flipped out on me!" I said.

"What?"

"He was about to leave the bathroom and when I asked, he turned around and told me to fuck off and then called me a bitch," I replied.

"That wasn't him talking. You know that wasn't him!" Aaron said.

"I know. I went after him and right when I touched him, it went away. He said he blacked out. He didn't remember anything," I said.

"Holy shit! Mikey, you don't think it got transferred over to you?" Aaron asked.

"Nah. I didn't feel it. It's weird, Aaron. Every time I touch him, he says the darkness goes away," I said, "That's why I touched him this time."

"Michael, that's really dangerous," Aaron warned.

"But for some reason it works. It's weird!"

"That is really strange," Aaron agreed, "So what happened after that?"

"He apologized, said he was going to go make a few calls, and told me to come over here. When I went downstairs, he was gone," I said.

Aaron sighed heavily and sat back, letting my story sink in.

"That's weird he didn't tell you. It's not like him to take off like that," Aaron said.

"He seemed really worried. He probably wanted to get out of there fast before something else happened," I said.

Aaron nodded.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I replied, "My neck is a little sore from falling asleep on my keyboard, though."

Aaron smiled at that.

"Let's call Nick. He should be up. Maybe he knows of something we could do," Aaron suggested.

"Good idea. Here. I'll call him," I offered.

I pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket and put it on speaker phone as it rang. It took two tries, but we finally go a hold of Nick. I explained to him the night's events and asked if he had any advice for Aaron and I, since neither of us had no idea how to go about Zak's situation. Unfortunately, neither did he.

"I mean, I could probably be a bit more help if I was there, but I don't know what to tell you, Mikey. This sounds like what happened last time after Romania. You guys need to keep an eye on him. Zak is not one to break down, but after last time, from what Aaron and Billy told me, it sounds like anything can happen now. But guys, I would be more than happy to fly out there and help. It's not a problem."

"No, you don't need to do that. Stay home with your family," I said.

"Yeah, bro. We only have a few more days until we leave out again. This is your time to spend with them," Aaron said.

"Okay. If you're sure. I'm serious, though. If things get worse, call me. In fact, as soon as Zak returns and you guys get an update, call me. This shit cannot be starting up again. We have a new lockdown coming up, and he can cause some serious damage to you, Mikey. I don't want to see that happen. Zak can't be a responsible husband and keep his promises when he's under the influence of a demonic entity. He loses all control. He's like the Hulk. I mean, I've seen him rip a camera in half with his bare hands," Nick went on.

"And didn't he smash an eight ball to pieces?" Aaron asked me.

"Yup," I replied.

"So see? This is some dangerous shit we're dealing with. He needs to see a priest or an exorcist, have this thing dealt with and detached, and have the house cleansed again. He can't be freaking out on us during lockdown, or even during interviews. We need him," Nick said.

I sighed.

"Yeah, I know," I said quietly.

"Well, look, bro. We'll let you go. Michael's exhausted. I'm going to stay up and wait on Zak. Who knows how long he'll be gone. We'll keep you posted," Aaron said.

"Thanks, g. Talk to you later," Nick replied.

We said our goodbyes to Nick and I hung up. I sat my phone down on the table and put my head in my hands.

"I swear, if I get a call from the cops about Zak-"

"Mikey, stay positive. Don't think like that," Aaron said, standing from his chair.

"I'm sorry. I'm just scared. We could have lost him on the last lockdown," I said.

"I know, Mikey, but he was fine. He's going to be okay," Aaron said, trying to comfort me.

I sighed. I began to pick at my bracelets I had on. I had several I never took off. One was a friendship bracelet from a friend I had in band back in high school, one just wouldn't come off and I didn't want to cut it, and the other was a Black Tourmaline that Zak had purchased for me back in Salem, Massachusetts. I had forgotten I was wearing it until now. I had no idea if it was doing what it was supposed to do, but I knew Zak wore his all the time and it wasn't helping him one bit. The diamonds in his wedding band didn't make it stronger, either.

"We need to find a new way to protect him, Aaron," I said.

I stood from the table and grabbed my phone.

"We will," he said reassuringly.

"Like, quick. Tourmaline beads, spirit houses, and blessings aren't doing it for him," I said.

"Michael, we'll find a way to protect him and get rid of his attachment. Don't worry," he said.

I looked up at Aaron. I had no idea how he always remained so positive. It was so welcoming, though. If I needed anything, it was positivity.

"Why don't you go crash on the couch? You look exhausted," Aaron suggested.

I didn't want to, for I wanted to stay up and wait for Zak to call or even come by the house. I wondered if maybe he had gone to Billy's. Perhaps I would get a call from Billy shortly. I didn't want to miss it, and I knew Aaron would be going to bed soon, so I wanted to make sure one of us was available. However, my feet defied me and I found myself on the couch.

"By the way, Mikey," Aaron said.

I looked up at him as he came in with a blanket. He draped it over me.

"Happy Birthday," he said.

I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop. I pulled my phone out from under the blanket and checked the date.

"Nick's birthday was yesterday, so today is your's, right?" Aaron asked.

I felt my shoulders drop when I saw the date.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

Aaron rubbed the top of my hair.

"Then happy 25th, short stuff," he said.

With that, Aaron disappeared up the stairs, leaving me alone in shock. I couldn't believe I had forgotten my own birthday! Who does that?  
Not like it was so important now.

"Happy fucking birthday to me," I mumbled grumpily, turning over onto my side and pulling the blanket up to my chin.

I was finally 25, married, and in a successful job that I loved. It was my birthday, and all I wanted to do was die.

Xxx

Ernie's howling woke me up. I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep until I opened my eyes to a room lit by sunlight. I sat straight up and immediately checked my phone. Half of me wished that there were missed calls, and half of me wished that there weren't any, that way I would know that I didn't miss any. However, there were none.  
It was just now 8:00 A.M. I had caught up on three hours of sleep. That was good enough for me.

"Michael!" I heard Aaron call from the foyer.

Ernie barked again and I could hear the sound of a car being shut off. I tore my blanket off of me and jumped up from the couch. There was a knock at the door as I ran in. Aaron beat me to the door and opened it to reveal an exhausted looking Zak.

"Holy shit! Zak!" I exclaimed.

Zak collapsed into me, burying his face in the crook of my neck and holding me tightly, his fists clenching the fabric of my jacket I had yet to remove.

"I was so worried about you, Zak. Are you okay?" I asked.

"I just wanna be with you right now," he said into my shoulder.

I nodded and patted his back.

"Okay, sweetheart," I said softly.

I glanced up at Aaron with a look like "What should I do?"

"Take him into the living room," Aaron said softly, "You guys stay over here today. I want to be nearby incase anything else happens."

I nodded and led Zak into the living room. We both shrugged off our jackets and shoes in silence before settling down on the couch. I sat down, nestling into the corner. Zak curled up against me as I had done to him so many times. I wrapped my arms around his massive body and gently ran my fingers through his hair in an attempt to soothe him. I kissed his forehead and said as many things as I could think of to let him know that he was safe and that I was there for him.

"You're all I could think about on the drive over here," Zak murmured.

"Where did you go?" I asked.

"Church. I called a priest I knew. He agreed to meet me and he did everything in his power to help me. He must of helped somewhat, because by the time it was over, I felt so hollow. I wanted-no, I _craved _light. I just wanted to be in your arms so badly, Michael. You have no idea."

I held him tightly to me.

"I love you," I said quietly into his ear.

Zak nuzzled into my neck.

"I love you so much, Mikey," he whispered.

I let out a shaky breath and just held Zak head to my chest. I couldn't stand this. I couldn't take seeing him hurting. I knew that I couldn't lose him to this..._thing_. I wouldn't have anyone, and I wasn't going to let that happen.  
No, this motherfucker was going down. Hurting Zak, not only physically, but ripping him up emotionally-turning a once strong and brave man into a mess was the last straw.

1...  
2...  
3...  
4...

I declare war.


	19. Follow You to the Stars

"I'd give you everything  
If only I'd have known you'd take it  
But you don't, cause you're you  
That's why I'll always love you"  
-_Pearl of the Stars_ by Coheed and Cambria

"Bro, this is the second time this has happened!"

"Not like this!"

"Yeah, but is the second time you've fucked up in the same spot."

"Shut up!"

Billy grinned as he watched Zak march through the sand, inspecting the damage he had caused. Zak was aggravated, and his mood only worsened as Billy became more amused.

"We're fucked," Billy said simply.

"Yup," Zak agreed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You fucked up," Billy said, teasing his friend.

"Shut up, Bill. Call Aaron," Zak said.

"Okay, one: Aaron is probably fast asleep and his phone is more than likely turned off or downstairs where he can't hear it. Two: how in the world in he going to help? His little SUV doesn't have what we need!" Billy said.

Zak groaned in frustration.

"Call your wife," Billy said, his eyes set on Zak, waiting for his reaction.

Zak spun around, his eyes wide and a finger pointed at Billy.

"No!" he said sternly.

"Zak, yes! Get that big, beastly truck out here! We'll be out of this mess in no time!" Billy said.

"No!" Zak argued.

"Zak, push your fucking pride to the side for one minute. We'll be stranded here all day if you don't," Billy said.

Zak let out an exasperated growl and reached into the pocket of his jeans.

"Fucking embarrassing," he grumbled.

Xxx

Zak and I both needed a major spiritual detox after all of the demonic shit occurring. We had stayed at Aaron's all day yesterday and returned home late that night. Zak slept for the majority of the day, and came back around at night. When we returned home, both of us took on our first battle with this invisible bastard in the dungeon. We got nothing and, thankfully, didn't stir up anything. I was hopeful that whatever the priest had performed on Zak had worked, but Zak seemed doubtful.  
When we came out of the dungeon after concluding our experiment, Zak was determined as ever to find this thing.

"We're going to find and we're going to kill it, Michael. One way or another," Zak said as I followed him down the hall and into the living room.

"I wish it was a physical being. If I ever wanted to pound the shit out of someone, it would be this fucking demon," I said.

Zak glanced over his shoulder at me and smiled.

"If it was a physical being, I would have already shot it's fucking head off. You saw what I did to that guy who was peeping on you. What I would have given to blast his fucking head off. No one fucking messes with my Mikey! No one!"

Zak fell backwards onto the couch, holding his arms out for me. I climbed on top of him.

"And no demons mess with my Zak. Hell no!" I added.

Zak smiled up at me, flashing these gorgeous white teeth as he did so. He placed his hand against my face and pulled me into him, kissing me deeply.  
When we went to bed, I felt nothing. Zak sensed nothing. When we woke up this morning, there was no change. It made me hopeful that perhaps it really was gone.  
For Zak's spiritual detox, he decided to head out to the dunes. I was going to sit around, play records , and light up some incense (if I were a smoker, there would be some gnarly smells in this house). Zak didn't want to join me. He needed a little more heavy action, so I let him go.  
I was in the kitchen, sitting at the bar with a bowl of Coco-Puffs and my laptop, searching through Nikki's recent pins on Pinterest. Zak came jogging in, looking completely refreshed-totally the opposite of how he was yesterday.  
He came in and leaned on the bar across from me, an elbow propping him up and a hand on his jaw. He swirled his fingernail across the granite countertop before speaking.

"Hey, Mikey, sweetheart?" he asked in the soft, nearly delicate voice that immediately pulled my attention away from a pin on blonde hair care.

Zak sounded like a little kid who had done something bad and was trying to find a way to tell their parent what they had done. It made me wonder what Zak had quite possibly broken this time.

"What, Precious?" I asked in that same tone.

I expected him to glare at me and tell me not to call him that, 'cause Lord knows he hated it, but he kept up this little innocent boy facade. He glanced up at me with these big, blue puppy eyes as he continued to rake his finger around in a circle.

"Can I borrow your truck?" he asked in a quiet voice.

My eyes jerked up to his, surprised by his question. I had asked him in the past a million times if I could drive the Bentley, and the answer every time was no. Even if he rode with me, he told me no!

"Can I borrow the Bentley?" I retorted.

Zak bolted upright, his eyes set ablaze.

"What the hell for?" he snapped.

I smirked. I knew it!

"What were you planning on doing with my truck?" I asked.

Zak looked back down and shrugged. He scraped his finger across the polished rock as he slowly made his way around the bar. He stopped at the rounded side as an envelope caught his eye.

"Nothing. I was just planning on going to the dunes," he said innocently.

"What's wrong with your truck?" I asked.

I knew his was perfectly capable of hauling his toys. That's the main reason he got the thing.

"Nothing. Yours is just...bigger," he said.

I raised an eyebrow at him. Ever since I let him drive my truck from the Oklahoma Panhandle to the next pit stop in Colorado on my move to Vegas, he had been itching to drive it again. It put his little truck to shame. I mean, my truck didn't even fit in the garage!  
I saw right through his little idea. He wanted to take my truck out to the dunes and be a show-off. How embarrassed would he be when he had to admit that the Dodge belonged to his wife and he drove a tiny sports car? Ha!

"Right. Well, what's wrong with your truck?" I asked.

Zak bit his lip, watching me with slightly worried eyes. I could tell he hadn't thought this through very well.

"Nothing," he said.

I snorted and looked back at the laptop screen. I had an idea.

"Fine. You can take my truck," I said.

Zak perked up, his eyes wide and a smile slowly forming.

"Really?" he asked.

"But, I'm pretty sure it's on empty, so I expect it to be completely full when you bring it back," I said.

Zak's eyes were the size of baseballs and he let out a squeak of disbelief. I smirked at him.

"I'll take my truck," he said in defeat.

Zak walked behind me and over to the garage door.

"Wait! Not so fast, big boy," I said, flinging my arm back to grab him.

My fingers wrapped around his arm and pulled him back. I turned around on the barstool and gestured for him to lean down. He smiled as he did so. I gave him a quick peck on the lips.

"You be careful out there. Don't do anything stupid," I said.

Zak smiled.

"I won't. Billy is going with me. I'll be fine," he said.

"'Kay," I replied.

Zak leaned down and kissed me once more.

"Love you. I'll call you when I'm heading back home," he said.

"Alright. Love you," I said.

"See you later, sweetie," he said as he stepped out the door.

I watched as he shut the door and listened as he loaded his dune-buggies or whatever the hell they were.  
Later, I was still sitting at the bar in my pajamas watching YouTube videos when I received a phone call. I blindly reached for my ringing cell phone and answered, not even bothering to look at the caller I.D. I was happily surprised to hear Zak's mom on the other end.

"Good morning, Michael. How are you?" she asked.

"I'm fine. How are you?" I asked.

"Oh, just fine. How's Zak?" she asked.

"He's doing okay. He's out at the dunes with Billy today," I replied.

"Oh, he's probably out there having a blast. He left you alone today?"

I laughed.

"He's giving me a little time to myself," I said.

She laughed.

"Well, if you're not too busy, could I bother you to come over? I'm having a heck of a time with my computer and I need some help," she said.

"Sure," I said without even thinking about it.

"Really? That would be great! I have been trying to figure it out all morning and it has been driving me nuts! I don't know what I did," she said.

I laughed.

"Let me get around and everything and I'll be right over," I said.

"Oh, thank-you, hun. I'll see you in a bit," she said.

We said our good-byes and hung up. I put my laptop to sleep and threw in on it's charger before heading upstairs to change. After getting ready, I let the dogs out, made sure their water bucket was filled outside, then locked up and headed over to Zak's mom's house.

"Mikey to the rescue," I said as I pulled out of the driveway.

Xxx

It took me no time to figure out what the problem was on his mother's computer. It was an easy fix. Time consuming, but simple. When I was finished, she took me to the kitchen and gave me my belated birthday present, which happened to be a cake similar to our Valentine's Day one, a few tubs of ice cream, and a card with $50 inside.

"Thank-you so much!" I said and hugged her.

"You're so welcome, sweetheart," she said, "Do you feel 25?"

I shook my head and smiled.

"I won't until I turn 26," I replied.

She just laughed.

"That's how it is for me, too," she said.

Just then, a guitar solo from a Coheed and Cambria song blasted from my bag in the living room.

"Is that your phone, dear?" she asked.

I walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. I pulled my phone out and saw that it was Zak.

"Hello?"

"Um, hey, Mikey?"

"Yes?" I asked.

"Are you home?" he asked.

"I can be in ten minutes," I replied.

"Okay. Um, in a bucket in the garage, there's a chain with this like, clamp thing. I don't know what it's called. There's also a big rope thing, but it's flat. It's made out of nylon or something. It has loops on both ends. Um, could you bring all of that out to the dunes?" he asked.

I smirked.

"I'll be out there as soon as possible," I replied.

I heard Zak breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank-you so much, sweetie," he said.

"You're welcome, bubele," I replied.

After saying our goodbyes and hanging up, I tried to refrain for laughing.

"That doesn't sound good," his mother said.

I laughed.

"Looks like I gotta go rescue your son now," I said.

His mom just laughed.

"I'm not surprised. This wouldn't be the first time," she said.

I just shook my head. Zak's mom helped me load up and thanked me for helping her and spending a little time with her. After asking for directions on how to even get to the dunes, I took my treats home, put them in the freezer, and searched the entire garage for that bucket. I found it under some DungeonWear boxes.  
After putting it in the bed of my truck, I left the house for a second time, smiling at the thoughts of what Zak might have done.

When I arrived at the dunes, it didn't take me long to drive around and find Billy and Zak. They were the only two idiots out there. When I pulled up, I was laughing my ass off.

Xxx

Zak heard a loud rumbling in the distance. He felt dread settle within his chest. Billy saw the expression on his face and laughed.

"Billy, stop laughing!" Zak snapped.

This made Billy laugh harder. He eventually fell over in the sand as he tried to catch his breath. Zak stomped over in front of his mess and pulled his baggy jeans up before sitting down. He didn't want sand in places it shouldn't be.  
Over the dune came a giant red truck, roaring as it tanked down the hill. Zak hung his head. He feared what Michael would say once she got out of the truck. He really didn't want her to see his embarrassed expression as she drove closer.  
The truck rolled in front of him and the engine died. Zak glanced up through his eyebrows as he sat Michael's ratty old tennis shoes hit the sand. He watched as she slammed the door shut and approached. He timidly looked up to see Michael walk up, wearing a pair of ripped jeans, a band t-shirt under a jacket, and a pair of his Ray-Bans. Her long dark hair was left down, a bandana used as a headband around the circumference of her head. She didn't look at him as she walked over to see the problem he had caused. He watched as she looked over what she had to work with.

"Damn, boy!" she barked out.

Zak winced and Billy died laughing. Zak left his eyes lowered as Michael walked back over to him. Zak could honestly say he felt scared of his wife. Just her look was intimidating to him. He had yet to see her wrath. He knew she wouldn't be mad, but he knew she wouldn't let this go for a long time.  
Michael moved into the sunlight beaming into Zak's eyes, casting a shadow over him.

"You know," she began.

Zak slowly looked up at his wife, biting his lip and squinting at the rays of sunlight escaping from behind her head.

"When you called, I thought you had wrecked one of your little go-kart things," she said, pulled off her (his) sunglasses dramatically as she eyed the issue.

Zak watched her slowly fold the sunglasses.

"I didn't know you buried the whole tail-end of your truck!" she snapped, but then laughed.

Billy cackled with laughter. Zak just groaned. Michael left Zak and walked over to the side of the truck. Zak rose to his feet and followed her.

"Goddamn, boy!" she exclaimed, her old Oklahoma twang coming in fully.

Billy ran over and slid down on his knees, giggling.

"You can barely see the top of the back tire!" he squealed.

Zak kicked sand at him.

"You made it worse!" he griped.

"I was trying to help!" Billy exclaimed.

Michael shook her head.

"Buncha damn city boys," she said.

Zak smiled at her accent. He would soon pick it up if she didn't stop.

"That's why I married you," he said playfully.

Billy burst out laughing.

"Get a girl who knows what the fuck she's doing," he said teasingly.

Irritated at Billy's amusement, Zak smacked his friend across the shoulder.

"Well, I don't know how I'm going to save y'all from this one. You fucked up pretty good," Michael said.

Zak looked at her, completely horrified. Michael grinned at him and threw his sunglasses back across her eyes.

"Get in the truck, big boy," she said.

She began to walk away and Billy ran up to follow her.

"Tell me how the hell he managed to drown that thing," she said.

"Drifting," he replied.

"Ah!" Michael said.

Michael climbed into the back of her truck and handed Billy the bucket.

"Hook his truck up while I back up," she ordered.

Billy did as he was told. After hooking both trucks up, Michael slowly pulled forward. Zak steered his truck as Michael's effortlessly pulled him out of the sinkhole. She pulled the truck back over the dune and out to solid ground where the trailer with Zak's quads sat ready to go.

Xxx

"You would have been pretty fucking screwed if you had drowned my truck like that. Your truck couldn't have pulled that one out," I said as Zak and I walked through the garage door and into the house.

I walked over to the patio doors and let the dogs back in. Zak sat his keys down on the island and sighed.

"I know," he said quietly.

I walked back over to him and slipped my arms around his waist.

"It would have been like that scene in _Thor_, when they were trying to pull the hammer out of the crater and the old man's truck bed flew off," I went on.

That made Zak smile.

"Somehow, I knew I would be having to rescue your butt today," I said.

Zak laughed.

"I'm sorry about that. I got a little carried away, I guess," he said.

I reached up and kissed him.

"I do enjoy saving you, though. It was fun," I said.

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," he said, laughing.

I smiled and he knelt down to kiss me again.

"How about for all your trouble, I treat you to dinner tonight? To celebrate your birthday," he suggested.

I looked up at the ceiling as I thought about it. There really was nothing to think about, but I enjoyed messing with him.

"Fine. Afterwards, we can have cake and ice cream," I said.

"There's cake and ice cream?" Zak asked excitedly.

"Yes, thanks to your wonderful mother," I replied.

Zak jumped and down excitedly.

"I can't wait!"

Pfft! You'd think it was _his_ birthday!

Xxx

"Mikey! Happy Birthday!" Nick all but squealed through the phone.

Zak and I had just returned from dinner at this swanky restaurant right off of the strip. Honestly, it was hard to find anything humble and not all glamorous in this town, but I knew I would have to get used to it. Dinner was delicious, though, and I enjoyed myself tremendously. It was one of the best belated birthday dinners I had ever had. Zak surprised me with a couple of presents I had no idea he bought. I could only open then after cake, though, and had been preparing to get the cake out when Nick called.

"I mean, belated birthday," Nick added.

"Happy belated Birthday to you, too, bro," I said.

"Oh yeah! Mine was the other day! Haha! I forgot. Oh well," he laughed.

I laughed at him.

"I guess you've been too busy to remember," I said.

Nick laughed.

"Yeah, I guess so. I had a pretty busy day today. Had an awesome workout at the gym and a book signing this afternoon. How was your day?"

"Oh, it was...eventful," I said.

Zak was pulling a knife out of the silverware drawer for cutting the cake when I said that. He cut his eyes at me over his shoulder, causing me to laugh at him.

"Oh? I hope it was nothing bad," Nick said worriedly.

"Oh no. No, nothing bad. Zak just buried the back end of his truck at the dunes this morning," I said.

Nick burst out laughing.

"Are you serious? That's great! Were you with him?" he asked.

"Are you kidding?" I exclaimed, "I had to get the chains and got out there and rescue his dumb ass."

Nick was cackling like Billy had been at the dunes. Zak growled at me.

"I bet that was embarrassing for him-burying his truck and having his wife have to pull him out," Nick said.

"Oh, I think it bruised his ego a little bit," I said teasingly.

Nick chuckled at that.

"He probably needed to be knocked down a few pegs. Well anyway, how has he been today? Is he getting better?" Nick inquired.

"He's been pretty much normal. I think he'll be okay now," I said.

"We can only hope. Well, I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday. Oh! Anna wants to talk to you and Zak," he said.

I laughed.

"Okay," I said and pulled my phone away to turn the speaker phone on, "Zak, come here. Annabelle wants to say hi."

Zak smiled and walked over to me, a bottle of what looked to be either champagne or wine in his hand.

"Hi, Aunt Mikey!" Annabelle shouted through the phone, "Happy Birfay!"

"Hi, Annabelle," I said.

"Hi, Anna," Zak said.

We heard Annabelle gasp.

"Hi, Unca Zak!" she squealed, "Aunt Mikey! Aunt Mikey!"

"Yes, sweetie?" I asked.

"You uh, you gots ta blow out all the candles, okay? Remember to make a wish 'cause it's your birfay!"

I giggled at her.

"I will, Annabelle," I told her.

In the background, we heard Nick murmur.

"I gots ta go now. Bye-bye Aunt Mikey! Bye-bye Unca Zak!" she said.

"Bye, Annabelle," Zak and I said in unison.

We heard Annabelle giggle and then the phone was transferred back over to Nick. Zak walked away and opened up one of the cabinet doors in search of dishes. I turned off speakerphone and put the phone back up to my ear.

"She's so precious," Zak said as he dug out some plates.

"You better blow out those candles, Mikey," Nick said jokingly.

"Oh, I will," I said.

"Well, I'll let you go. See you at lockdown," he said.

"Okay. Bye, Nick."

"Bye, Mikey."

I hung up and sat my phone on the counter.

"Where is our next lockdown?" I asked Zak.

Zak had the cake and ice cream out and was already drinking whatever the hell was in the bottle.

"England," he replied.

I felt my jaw hit the floor.

"Are you serious?" I asked excitedly.

Here comes another long flight over the ocean.

"Yup," Zak said, gulping down his drink.

"Are you going to get drunk tonight?" I asked teasingly.

I walked over to him and grabbed my plate.

"Not really," he replied, a goofy smile on his face.

He had already had some weird margarita thing at dinner. I had tried it, because it looked like a colorful slushie, but again, I couldn't handle the taste. Aaron and I both weren't the drinkers in the Crew. But oh my goodness! Get some alcohol down Zak and he's gone!  
Zak cut the cake (we didn't even bother with candles) and I scooped out the ice cream. I knew Zak would probably eat the whole tub, even though he really wasn't supposed to with his diet and all. After getting our plates together, we settled down in the living room and watched a movie neither of us ever got tired of: _Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls_.  
After the movie and two more glasses down Zak's throat, I was ready for bed and dearest Zachary was getting silly. He was in the kitchen, getting into the last of the ice cream and singing. Zak loved to sing when he was drunk, or tipsy, even. I was just glad he was in tune, because singing Adele (yes, of all things) out of tune is the worst sound in the world!  
While he was preparing his plate, I suddenly remembered my dream. I had yet to tell Zak about it, and I wasn't sure if now was the right time, since he was defying the laws of physics and setting fire to rain.

"God, I hate this damn song!" Zak bitched.

"Then, why are you singing it?" I called from my spot on the couch.

"It was playing on the way to the dunes and it's been stuck in my head all day!" he said.

Zak sauntered back into the living room with his plate and a spoon hanging out of his mouth. He plopped down beside me, leaning slightly against the armrest. I decided that I might as well tell him about my weird dream. However, Zak spoke first.

"Look! The moon's out!" he said.

I looked over at the window on the left side of the TV.

"Indeed it is," I said, then gave him a sly smile, "Time for vampires to wake up."

Zak smiled warmly and stood up. He stepped back into the kitchen and I heard him open up the porch doors.

"Oh my goodness! It feels amazing out here! Michael, sweetie, come here."

I stood from the couch and walked into the kitchen. Zak left the door open and was standing outside, holding his arms out with his eyes closed and big smile on his face. When I stepped into the doorway, a gust of cold air hit me.

"It's cold out here, Zak!" I exclaimed.

"Is not!" Zak opened his eyes and argued.

I stepped out onto the patio, shut the door behind me, and shivered. I was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, but I was barefoot and the floor instantly froze my toes.  
Zak quickly ran over to me and slid passed me, opening the door I had just shut and going back in. He reemerged with the presents in his arms and set them down on the patio table. He rushed back to close the patio doors and I watched him as he moved around, setting up whatever plan he had. I watched as he grabbed a black wicker patio couch and dragged it out into the moonlight. He then grabbed the presents and looked up at me.

"Come here, sweetie," he said softly.

I smiled and hopped around the patio furniture as I made my way over to him. We sat down on the red cushions. I sat crossed legged, patiently waiting for him to hand me my gifts.

"I kept the receipts, but I'm pretty sure I got the right thing," Zak said.

He picked up one of the bigger presents and handed it to me. The shape was familiar, and I had a feeling I knew what it was. When I ripped it open and saw a Nikon logo, I smiled.

"Zak, I told you I would go ahead and get this. You didn't have to replace that flash for me," I said.

Zak took a sip of the drink he brought out and smiled at me.

"I wanted to. You save your money for fun stuff," he said, reaching a hand out to push my hair behind my ear.

I smiled up at him and reached up to hug him.

"Thank-you," I said.

"You're welcome. Here open this one," Zak said.

He handed me a small, rectangular box. I expected it to be jewelry, like a bracelet he had engraved or something. I was surprised to find an old tin box beneath it.

"I asked the man at the counter if those were the right kind, and he said yes. If they don't work, we can take them back and trade," Zak said.

I pulled the wrapper off to reveal a baby blue tin box full of phonograph needles.

"Where on Earth did you find these?" I asked.

"Aaron took me with him to an antique store one day and I found those. You mentioned you needed new, so I grabbed them. I know they're hard to find. The man I spoke with said that that box had never been opened, so those are brand new needles you can use," Zak replied.

I jumped up and hugged him.

"This is so awesome! Thank-you!" I said and kissed his cheek.

"So now, you can crank that old thing up and jam," he said.

I laughed. The few 78 RPM records I had that would play were not something one would jam to, unless old ragtime was your thing.  
I leaned over and laid my head on Zak's chest. He wound his arm around me as he looked up at the bright white moon.

"Hey, Zak?" I asked.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can spirits come and talk to you in dreams?" I asked.

Zak shifted under me and exhaled sharply out his nose.

"That's a good question. I honestly am not sure. I know I've dreamt of being scratched and woke up with demonic marks, but by just a normal entity, I'm not completely sure. The conscious and unconscious mind work differently. I guess it's possible, though. Why?"

"Well, you know how I have a recurring dream of our wedding night?" I asked.

"Yeah. It's unchanging, right?" he asked.

"Usually. This time it changed, though," I said.

"Really?" Zak asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I had just kissed you, and then everyone and any evidence of a wedding disappeared. I was standing at the altar in my normal, every day clothes and there was only a single person in the audience," I said.

I looked up to see Zak looking down at me, his eyebrows knitted together in deep thought.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"Patch," I replied.

Zak smiled then.

"I've had dreams about her," he said.

"You have? When?" I asked.

"A month ago," Zak replied, his tone now sorrowful.

"Oh," I said quietly.

"She follows us around. I've been sensing her since the funeral. She's just watching. I wasn't surprised when I dreamt about her," Zak said.

"Do you think she manifested in your dream, or was it just your imagination?" I asked.

Zak shrugged.

"There's no way of knowing for sure. I don't remember if it was a night I hit the Patrón really hard or not, but I dreamt that she walked up to me, took my hand and said 'She's okay.' Then, I woke up. I don't know if she was talking about you or maybe...well, yeah. Anyway, it gave me the closure I needed. What did she tell you?"

"She told me to keep you safe. She said the world still needed you and I was to protect you. She wouldn't tell me how or why. She just said 'Zak loves you so much. He's devoted to you and he would do anything for you.' When I asked her how she knew, she said that she heard you. Then she told me to fight to kill and to save you so the world could have the answers to the unknown."

"I did tell her that," Zak said.

I looked up at him, surprised.

"When?" I asked.

"When I went in to talk to her by myself. Those were my exact words. She was in there. I know she was, and I have a feeling that that really _was_ her you were talking to," he replied.

I laid my head back down on his chest.

"She told me she was looking out for us," I said quietly.

Zak chuckled softly and tightened his arm around me.

A cold wind blew around me, making me shiver. I snuggled into Zak's side in search of warmth. I wrapped my arms around his midsection and set my new things to the side.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie," he said.

Zak kissed the top of my head and wrapped an arm tightly around me. I nuzzled the side of my face into his soft t-shirt and closed my eyes, enjoying the faint smell of his cologne and his body heat.

"You're not getting sleepy yet, are you? Vampires don't sleep at night," Zak said, teasing me.

"I'm just cold," I said.

Zak chuckled and rubbed my bare, tattooed arm, causing goosebumps to rise.

For a while, I had been in desperate need of a spiritual detox, and this seemed to work. Zak's presence and energy had a way of clearing my mind and bringing me peace.

Xxx

A soft snoring broke the silence of the Vegas night. Zak looked down to see Michael fast asleep on his chest. He smiled. He knew once she got comfortable and warm, she would pass out.  
Slipping his arms carefully around her, Zak picked Michael's smaller body up and took her inside. He carried her through the large house and upstairs to their bedroom. He couldn't help but be reminded of Dracula, carrying around his newest bride.  
Zak tucked Michael into bed. He knew in a few hours she would wake up and change into her pajamas, which were usually just underwear and either and old t-shirt of hers, or if she had been lazy and hadn't done her laundry, one of his t-shirts. He caught her once sound asleep in his Dethrone t-shirt, and it made him smile. He knew how much she loved sneakily borrowing his things or rolling over to his side of the bed when he got up to use the bathroom.  
Zak tried to silently dig through her dresser until he found her pajama drawer. He picked out a pair of flannel bottoms and an over-sized Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt. He folded both and placed them at the foot of her side of the bed. He then walked over to her and sat down beside her sleeping form. He stroked the back of his fingers across her cheek gently raked his fingers through her hair. He knew nothing would easily be able to separate them, and he was determined to never let anything break them apart-especially the demons.


	20. All That I've Got

I woke up the next morning in the bed, having no idea how I got there. I woke up to soft, white light shining in through the windows in the French doors coming in through the windows near the stairs. I sat up and noticed my red flannel pajamas pants and a t-shirt at my feet. Confused as to why I didn't have them on me, I looked down. When I saw that I was still in my clothes from the night before, I suddenly remembered laying outside with Zak and getting unbelievably sleepy. I must have crashed on him, so he brought me upstairs and left some pajamas out for me.  
I smiled and looked over to see Zak sound asleep, his back tattoo subtly moving as he breathed. I glanced over at my clock on my nightstand, my new things sitting beside it. It was almost 7:00 A.M. Soon, we would need to get up and pack up for the airport, but we had about another hour of sleep time.  
I slid out of the bed and changed into my pajamas Zak had laid out for me. I then climbed back into bed and crawled over to Zak. I loomed over him, my hands pressed into the mattress on either side of him. I leaned down and kissed his cheek. Zak sniffed and moved his shoulder up and down, but he didn't wake. I ran my fingers through his soft hair and gently leaned into him.

"Zaaa-aak," I sang, trying to wake him up.

I have no idea when he actually went to bed, and I knew he often did not go to sleep until about three or four in the morning, so I knew better than to wake him. However, there would be plenty of time for sleep on the plane.  
Zak grunt and peeled his eyes open, revealing turquoise irises that were nearly transparent from the side. Zak turned his head to look at me, then pulled an arm out from under the covers and grabbed his glasses off of his nightstand. He then slipped them on, looked up at me and smiled.

"Good morning, Mikey," he said groggily.

He cupped my face with one hand and leaned up to press his lips against mine.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"A lot better than I have been," I replied.

Zak smiled sleepily.

"Good," he said.

"When did you get to bed?" I asked curiously.

Zak stretched and glanced over at his little digital clock on his nightstand.

"Around two," he replied as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Ah. That's not so bad," I said.

"Mhmm. You excited? Ready to go to the U.K.?" he asked.

I smiled. Zak put one arm behind his head and the other reached out to hold my hand.

"I am excited. A little nervous, but excited," I replied.

Zak smiled.

"Why are you nervous? There's nothing to be nervous about, sweetie," he said as he rubbed gentle circles into my hand with his thumb.

I shrugged.

"I know. Maybe it's the thought of traveling to a country I've never been to. It could just all be excitement. I don't know," I said.

"Anticipation to get back to work?" Zak asked.

"Yeah, that, too," I agreed.

Zak sat up and kissed me again.

"It's going to be fun. Come on. Let's make breakfast and start packing. We're meeting Aaron and Billy for lunch before our flight," Zak said.

Zak slid out from under the covers, causing the comfortable warmth of the bed to escape. I whimpered and pulled the plush black comforter up to my chin. Zak grabbed his cell phone off of its charger and stood, checking for missed calls, texts, and so on. I watched him take a few steps towards the closet, his eyes locked on his phone. I caught myself ogling him, my eyes trailing down from his broad shoulders to his black sweatpants.  
Once finished with his phone, he locked it and set it back on his nightstand before going back over to the closet. I clinched the comforter tightly as I watched him. I loved watching him walk. The way he held himself, the way his muscles moved beneath his skin, the nearly girlish sway of his hips that was accentuated when he wore a belt. I loved his strong shoulders and how they made him look bigger than he was. I loved his arms, and I could go on all day describing his biceps alone, but loved the sheer size and their promise of protection. My eyes then traveled down to his bubble butt and muscular legs that he kept hidden.  
Zak picked out his shirt for the day and pulled it off of the hanger. He turned to the side as he pulled it outside-in. My eyes traveled over the rise of his pecs and down to the abs that were slowly, but surely, developing on his stomach. I then looked back up at his arms, his tan now faded, and it was then I noticed just how massive his fucking biceps were! I mean, my God! They had to be bigger than he head now!

"Did your arms get bigger?" I asked.

Zak was opening his shirt and about to throw it on when he froze and looked up at me. He let go of his shirt and examined his left arm.

"Possibly," he said.

I hunched over into the covers, still staring at him and trying my hardest not to drool like...well, like Ernie.

"Jesus," I growled.

Zak smirked at me. He shifted his weight to one foot, curled his arm up to make his bicep pop and snarled.

"Like what you see?" he asked cockily.

He stared at me with this wild look in his eyes as he curled his lip like Elvis Presley. White hot heat spread through me.

"You hot motherfucker," I growled out.

Zak smirked at me and my hunched up position. He knew he was torturing me, and he fucking loved it! Of course, just me saying that he was hot probably blew his ego through the roof.  
Zak stepped over to the bed. I couldn't keep my eyes off of his hips as he did so. I kept thinking over and over "_Get on the bed. Get on the bed. Get on the bed._"  
Zak knelt down and began to prowl towards me on all fours. I quickly grasped his shoulders and our lips collided together. Zak crawled fully on the bed, sitting on his knees as he kissed me hungrily. I moaned into his mouth, not being able to help myself. It had been a long time since we had done this, and I wanted him...badly!  
I crawled into his lap and straddled his legs. Zak gripped my hips to keep us both from losing our balance on the bouncy mattress. He kissed me with such fervent passion, I was determined to meet him with just as much intensity.  
My fingers slid down from his shoulders and trailed over his chest. I let them follow the slight swells and grooves down to his waist and back up, trying to find spots my hands had not yet touched.

"Mmm, Mikey," Zak moaned.

Zak's hands traveled up and down my sides. I held the side of his head with one hand and kissed down his jaw and nibbled and kissed his neck. Zak sought my lips out and kissed me deeply. His touch and my touching him, feeling his muscles and warm skin, turned my arousal up to an eleven.

"Michael, we need to pack...but, I really don't wanna," Zak said breathlessly.

I giggled into his neck and ran my fingers backwards through his hair.

"We have an hour," I said.

This made Zak let out a sexy growl that went right through me. He put his arms around me, his palms flat against my back. I felt his fingers curl and grab my t-shirt, pulling it over my head and tossing it across the room. He then replaced his hands and lifted me. He laid me down on my back, my head on his pillow. Zak leaned over me and kissed my neck, now much softer and less aggressive than a few seconds ago. I held him close to me and moved my head back against the pillow, allowing him more access. Zak pressed his heavy body into me and bit down gently on my neck. An almost electrical surge shot through my body and resonated deep down under. Zak reached up and put his wonderful hands to good use, kneading me and making the sensations intensify. I gripped his biceps and let out a strangled moan as he pressed himself into me. "Gorgeous motherfucker" was playing on a loop in my mind, and every time I opened my eyes to look at him, I had new thoughts and wanted him even more.  
Zak returned to my lips and kissed them desperately, moaning as he did so. He rolled his hips into my still pajama clad ones, pressing against my abdomen and sending a lightning bolt of hot ecstasy searing through me. I didn't even know that simple movement would do that to me, but the reaction caused both of us to become more worked up. I put both of my hands on the sides of his face and pulled him impossibly close to me. This was the craziest amount of animalistic passion I had ever experienced-not that it was bad in any way, but I had never felt so starved for his attentions before. Had we put this off longer than we should have? I know I ached all over for him, and I hadn't realized it until now!  
Zak reached down and hooked his fingers in my waistband, proceeding to yank them down and off of me. He then kicked off his own sweats and boxers before crawling back on top of me. He smiled lovingly down on me and caressed my face with the tips of his fingers. I let my eyes fluttered closed. My entire body was shaking from the sudden onslaught of desire, that every little touch from him had me in a euphoric state.  
Zak pressed a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth. I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Mikey, are you sure you're ready? I mean, we haven't done anything since before...before your surgery."

I propped myself up on my elbows, carefully studying his handsome face. I absolutely adored how much this man cared about me. It made my love for him explode.

"I'm definitely ready, sweetheart," I replied softly.

Zak took me in a deep, smoldering kiss and buried himself completely in one slow, fluid motion of his hips. I arched into him, one hand gripping his bicep and the other fisting the sheets. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a strangled cry as sizzling pleasure spread through me. Zak gasped and stared at me, surprised he was able to slip in so easily.

"Michael! Holy shit! All of this because of my biceps?" he asked, teasing me.

"And your pecs and your abs and just-GAH!"

Just saying that and looking at him made me involuntarily pulse around him. I grabbed his face and yanked him down to me, hungry to taste his lips again.

"You listen here, Mikey. I don't know where this side of you came from, but I love it! Maybe I should just go shirtless all the time. But then again, this is only reserved for you, sweetie."

I groaned and kissed him again. Zak scooped me up in his arms, cuddling me and showing me how much he loved me as he began to slowly move within me. I hissed as I felt myself twitch around him. He wouldn't have too long to wait before I hit my breaking point, and apparently, neither would I.  
Zak must have not realized it, but we both had this pent up sexual frustration that had been suppressed for way too long. Before I knew it, Zak had straightened up, gripped my hips tightly, and drove on with reckless abandon. All too soon, I could feel myself edging. My mind was telling me to slow down and not lose control so soon, but I couldn't make myself stop. The powerful sensations were addicting.  
Suddenly, I felt myself about to tumble over the edge. My hand flew up to Zak's chest.

"Stop!"

Zak halted and looked down at me worriedly.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I felt myself pulsing, but the climax was backing off. I knew Zak was not nearly there yet, and I would lose it before he did. Not the plan, so I made a new one.  
I gave Zak this lustful look, then, with all of my strength, I flipped us over. I pinned Zak down into what was my side of the bed. He looked shocked for a second, but then a look of wanton desire swept across his face and he gave me this mischievous smile. Zak had his hands laying on both sides of his head, as if a police officer had told him to put his hands up. I laced my fingers with his and began to move on top of him. Zak threw back his head and moaned. This was something new for me, and I didn't think I would like it too much at first, but seeing Zak's face contort with a mixture of ecstasy and agony was enough to change my mind. He had never looked more gorgeous-more sexy! I wanted to claw my nails down his chest, but I refrained. Marking his skin, even in this situation, was the same thing as harming him-something I could never bring myself to do.  
Zak clenched my hands tightly. He had his eyes tightly closed and his lips frozen in an O shape. He was so close now, but I wasn't ready for him just yet. I watched as his face flushed and his muscles tensed. He whimpered and I felt him twitch. He was almost there, and he broke a hand away from mine to grip my hip.

"Oh God, Michael!" he groaned out.

That's when I stopped dead. Zak opened his eyes and let out a high-pitched cry. I leaned down to him and held the back of his neck in one hand and ran my other down his chest as I nibbled on his earlobe.

"This is your punishment," I whispered darkly.

I sat up to look at him.

"You evil little shit!" Zak hissed.

He then caught me off guard and rolled us back over. I squeaked and giggled as he smiled at me.

"You've had it," he threatened.

I laughed.

"Nuh-uh," I agrued.

Zak laughed at me.

"Oh yes, baby. Brace yourself," he warned me.

Zak had a habit of threatening me and then doing nothing about it, so you can imagine my surprise when Zak bucked hard into me, causing me to literally throw my head back with my eyes squeezed shut, grabbing my hair and nearly screaming.

"Ah, fuck!" I groaned.

Zak giggled at that. I opened my eyes to see him smiling victoriously. He was getting the reaction he wanted.

"I told you," he said.

"Shut up," I breathed out.

Zak laughed and bent over, taking his pace increasingly faster, driving us both into red zone. Zak scooped me up into his massive arms. He held my hands at the sides of my head like I had done to him and alternated between passionately kissing me and sucking on my neck like the little vampire-wannabe he was. The build-up was intense, causing me this aching and all-consuming impatience.  
I held his hands tightly and nuzzled into the side of his head.

"I love you," I whispered into his ear.

Zak slowed down just a little and raised his head. He kissed my cheek and looked down lovingly at me. My heart skipped when my eyes connected with his. It was that same loving look I had seen in my dream.

"I love you, too, sweetheart," he said.

I watched Zak as he watched me. My eyes locked on with his-the same, bright blue eyes that kept a look out for me and watched me walk down the aisle. I trembled as I continued to think about his captivating features-features that I had the privilege of waking up to every morning.  
Zak's paced picked up again. He clenched his fingers hard around my hands, squeezing so hard I thought he was going to break them. Zak kissed me deeply and cried out into my mouth. I moaned as I felt him explode inside me. It caused me to let go with my own explosion. I had to break away from him and clutch him against me as shockwave after shockwave rolled through me. I moaned loudly and whimpered Zak's name into the crook of his neck. Zak stroked my face as I finely calmed down. I was completely out of breath, but completely electrified.  
Zak rolled off of me and scooped me up into his arms. I nuzzled into him. Zak pressed his nose into my hairline and kissed my forehead. We laid there in silence for several minutes, letting our heart-rate and breathing slow down.

"What time is it?" I asked.

Zak turned his head over to look at my clock. He groaned.

"8:15," he replied, then nuzzled back into my hair, "I don't wanna get up. I could lay here forever with you, sweetie."

I smiled at that. Laying with this gorgeous man forever?

"We could, Zak," I said.

Zak chuckled and tightened his arms around me. Downstairs, Gracie made a playful yip and Ernie started howling.

"Time to get up," Zak groaned, "Our children want out."

I giggled and sat up. Zak sat up with me and reached over to grab his previously discarded sweatpants from the foot of the bed. I had no idea where my clothes went. One minute they were folded and then put on, and the next, _poof_!

"I'll go let them out. You take your time and I'll go make you breakfast, okay?" Zak said.

I smiled at him and pecked him on the lips.

"Then we can go meet Aaron and Billy at the airport," he added.

This made me even more excited. I was so excited to be rejoining the boys and hanging out with them, especially in new territory.  
After breakfast, Zak and I got around and began packing. I had my carry-on bag and camera gear packed and sitting out in the garage, ready to be loaded. I just had to pack my toiletries, which I saved for last.  
Upon entering the upstairs bathroom, I found Zak packing up his own toiletry bag. He was digging in the medicine cabinet for his contact lens solution. I was suddenly reminded of the other night when a box of band-aids dropped out and he had to put them back in.

"Hey, how's your neck?" I asked.

I hadn't even thought about it or looked at it earlier.  
Zak walked back in front of the mirror and craned his neck to get a better view. I walked up to him and stood on tip-toe to see. There were still three long, slightly curved scratches down the left (his right) side of his neck. They weren't as horrifying now.

"They're still a little pink," I said.

"They were red and swollen. They stung like hell when I went to church and then the father poured holy water on it, so that made it worse," Zak said.

"Oh my goodness. He shouldn't have done that," I said.

That worried me a little. I didn't fully believe in holy water, so throwing water on a fresh wound like that after I had already put peroxide on it didn't sound like the best idea to me. It may have helped, though, but what do I know?

"I know, but I told him to do anything and everything. When we get back from England, I'm having the house cleansed again for good measure. I don't want you getting hurt or anything," Zak said.

I shrugged and began to pack my hairbrush and makeup.

"I'm not too worried about that. I'm just worried about you getting hurt. Demonic entities seem to like you," I said.

Zak reached around me and grabbed his toothbrush.

"I'll be okay," he said.

I reached for my toothbrush and sighed.

"Last time you said that, you came home covered in bruises," I grumbled.

Zak zipped up his bag and turned around fully to me, a hand on his hip and accusing eyes set on me, burning holes through my head.

"Michael," he said, almost in a scolding tone, "Look at me."

I shyly did as I was told.

"Sweetie, this is what I do. It comes with the territory. You know that," he said.

"I know," I said quietly and looking away from him, "I just hate seeing them hurt you."

"Michael, I can't hide from it. That's showing weakness, and that's something I won't stand for. I fight it and fuck with it until it's gone, and that's what I'll always do. If something happens, it happens. There's nothing I can do but step between you and it to keep you safe. You know I don't bring this stuff home on purpose," he said.

"I know, Zak."

"But part of this job is to deal with them and keep them from hurting others. It's better for them to hurt me than a family or some innocent person who doesn't deserve it," he went on.

I looked up at him.

"You don't deserve that shit either," I said quietly.

Zak leaned down and took my face in his hands.

"Sweetie, I know this has been worrying you. I hate seeing you stress out over this. But I'm not the same provoking asshole I used to be. I know the consequences and I use every precaution, especially now that I have you in my life. I know better now. But Michael, you're worrying over nothing. We're going to England to get some awesome evidence and to have some fun. I think being in this house so long has taken its toll on the both of us. I believe England will clear our minds and refresh us," he said.

I gave him and small smile and nodded in agreement. We really did need a vacation.

"Besides, you'll absolutely love England. It's beautiful up there."

I reached up to grab his wrists and smiled.

"I guess I am freaking out over nothing. I think our last trip to Europe gave me a negative impression about going there. Maybe that's why I'm so nervous about it," I said.

Zak smiled.

"That's probably what's going on," he agreed, "There's nothing to worry about. We're going to have a blast, okay?"

I nodded. Zak twisted his wrist over to look at his watch.

"You ready to go?" he asked.

"Let me finish in here and I will be," I replied.

Zak kissed my forehead.

"I'll go load up our stuff and get the dogs," he said.

Zak then walked around me and left the bathroom. Our talk did not help me much. Zak was such a huge part of my life, and all of this recurring demonic activity had me worried. If they won, I lost Zak. He took me under his wing back when I first starting working with the Crew, and had been my best friend ever since. After all of the passed events, Zak was really all I had. He was my only close family, and losing him meant losing everyone, not including the twins. I didn't want that, and I was determined to keep him for the rest of my life. I was going to protect him, even if he was too stubborn to listen. I wasn't going to let anything cause me to lose someone so special.

Xxx

Later that afternoon, we met with Nick and Jay in New York and connected flights to London. About two hours into the plane ride, Zak laid his head on my shoulder and went to sleep with his earbuds plugged in and electronic music blasting. I knew my arm would shortly go to sleep, but I let him lay there anyway. He needed the rest.  
I was sitting in the middle row of the large jet between Zak and Nick. Billy, Jay, and Aaron were scattered throughout. I was doodling in a notebook while Nick was typing away on his laptop, working on his latest book. Zak shifted his head, his spiky hair poking me in the cheek. I groaned and tilted my head to the side. I couldn't work like this. Nick chuckled at me.

"Is he sticking you?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded.

"Shove him off," Nick said.

"No! He'll just get grumpy. Princess Zak needs his beauty sleep," I said jokingly.

Nick laughed.

"Yeah, you're right about that," Nick said, playing along.

"Hey, Nick?"

"Yeah, Mikes?" Nick asked as he went back to typing.

"Do you think going to England right now is a good idea?" I asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Nick asked, concern in his voice.

"I just feel like it's not a good idea. Something about being that far away from home," I said timidly.

"Mikey, if it's Zak you're worried about, he'll be fine," Nick reassured me.

I sighed. I hoped he was right.


	21. Made Out of Nothing

"Bro, can we go to Stonehenge again? I wanna go to Stonehenge!" Aaron said.

"Aaron," Zak said, exasperatedly.

"Dude, I wanna go take a tour on top of a double-decker bus. We didn't get to do that last time we were here," Nick said.

"Guys, please," Zak begged.

"Oooh, yeah! I want to do that, too!" Aaron said excitedly.

Nick and Aaron engaged in a very lively conversation about what activities they would like to do, completely ignoring Zak in the process. Billy quickly joined in on the conversation. As usual, Jay and I remained quiet, just smiling and shaking our heads. Jay rolled his eyes and pushed an earbud back inside his ear to resume listening to his music. I was about to do the same, when Zak reached down and laced his fingers with mine. I looked up at him.

"What did you want to do while we're here?" he asked.

I just shrugged.

"You know this place better than I do. I just want to hang out with you guys. I have no particular place I really want to see," I said with a shrug.

Zak eyed me accusingly.

"There's got to be something you've always wanted to here. Something you perhaps have always wanted to see in person," he said.

I just shrugged.

"You're kidding, Mikey," Zak said.

"Unless you can get me a train ticket to Hogwarts," I said, joking of course.

Zak smiled warmly and let go of my hand so he could put his arm around my waist. He kissed the top of my head, making me smile as I felt his lips press against my hair.

"You know I would if I could," he said.

"Oooh yeah! Let's go there!" Aaron said loudly, "Zak, we wanna go to Stonehenge but first, we wanna go to-"

"Guys!" Zak said sternly, "We have a whole week to do whatever we want."

I was surprised by this. I had no idea we were going to be here that long. It worried me. Had I packed enough clothes? Surely I wouldn't have to do laundry on this trip. The guys, especially Zak, liked to, but I hated doing laundry. It was one of those tedious tasks that just irked me. Zak was on my ass all the time to get my laundry done so he could do his. I really didn't want to laundry now. We were on a mini-vacation. That was the last thing I wanted to do.

"A whole week?" I asked.

Zak looked back down at me.

"I think it's more like five days. We have all two days to do whatever, then a walkthrough and interview day, then lockdown night," Zak explained.

"That's four, bro," Aaron said.

Zak shrugged and rolled his eyes.

"I'm counting tonight in the five," he said.

"Still plenty of time," Nick said, "Come on, guys. Let's go get our van rented and head to the hotel. I'm tired."

"Yes! Let's get the hell out of this busy airport," Billy agreed.

"Okay, but who's driving? I'm not!" Zak said.

Ah! Zak didn't want to drive on the wrong side of the road.

"Mikey can. She likes driving," Aaron suggested.

"Pfft! Shit! Not here I don't!" I popped off, making Aaron laugh.

"I can do it," Billy volunteered, "I like driving here."

"Bro, if you don't want to, you don't have to. I can drive," Nick offered.

"I can, too," Jay said with his eyes on his phone and his hand in the air.

"No, guys. It's okay. The hotel is only a few blocks away. It's no problem," Billy said.

Zak shook his head and looked down at me.

"Watch us wreck," he teased.

I just laughed and slipped my free arm around his waist as we followed the boys out of the airport and made the short, but nerve-wracking trip to the hotel.  
At the hotel, Zak and I trudged in our room, tired and relieved to be on land and somewhere quiet. The hotel was the huge, luxury hotel with a renaissance-like Victorian flare. Our room was like a giant master bedroom, with a huge king sized four-poster, covered in overstuffed pillows and a creamy yellow comforter that matched the soft, sunshine yellow walls. I am not a fan of yellow at all, but it seemed to work in this room. We also had a full-sized bathroom and a massive flat-screen TV. It wasn't like we'd be spending much time in here, but it was so nice, and a tad bit romantic.  
Zak let go of the handle on his suitcase, dropped his backpack, and flopped down face-first into the tall bed.

"Oh God!" he groaned.

I laughed at him and dog-piled on top of him. Zak shouted out, as if I had really caused him pain. I giggled and slid off to the side and pulled his baseball cap off, revealing his messy hair that had been left down all day. Zak had his eyes closed and his cheek smashed into the mattress, giving him fish lips.

"I am so tired!" he complained.

"Oh, you can't be that tired," I retorted.

I was just now waking up. Zak opened his dark blue eyes.

"Sitting in a plane from New York to London with a screaming baby sitting behind you while you're trying to sleep is the most annoying goddamn thing in the world! I just wanted a nap. Is that too much to ask for?"

"Aww, poor baby," I said.

I wrapped my arms around him. Zak took to it immediately and snuggled into me. He was such a huge baby, I swear! I could tell he wanted to be loved on and babied tonight-not that I was complaining, but still.  
Zak turned his head and pressed his face into the mattress.

"No one will leave me alone," he whined.

Yes, he whines, too. You know a man is tired as hell when they start whining.

I grasped Zak's shoulders and leaned down to his ear.

"Do you want me to leave you alone so you can get some sleep, big boy?" I asked.

I had a feeling I knew what he'd say.

"No," he said, his voice muffled into the comforter.

I knew it!

I giggled at Zak and leaned down to kiss his jaw, which was the only part of his face I could get to.

"Sweetie, get up. You're going to suffocate yourself," I said, shaking his shoulder a little.

Watch him be asleep!

He wasn't, though. Zak turned his head to face me and smiled sleepily. He was too adorable! It was that same level of adorable as a Golden Retriever puppy or a baby elephant. It was baby animal adorable, that's how sweet he looked.

"What's your dream lockdown, sweetie?" Zak asked.

I leaned down against him, pressing my front into his back and perching my chin as his shoulder.

"Oh, I don't know," I said, "Why?"

Zak closed his tired, bloodshot eyes and shrugged. He was really exhausted, but he was being stubborn. Not anything new.

"I just figured that out of any place on Earth, England would be yours. I know how much you love British TV shows and stuff," Zak said.

I shrugged.

"I like some stuff," I said.

Zak cut his eyes at me.

"Sweetie, you have all of _Monty Python's Flying Circus_ on DVD," he said.

I just laughed.

"Hey! That is some fine television," I said.

Zak giggled.

"But really, though. What would be your ideal lockdown?" Zak asked curiously.

I thought about it for a minute. I thought that Graceland would be interesting, as well as Bela Lugosi's home in California and even Germany, but there was one place I always thought about, and would love to investigate.

"The theater where Lincoln was shot," I replied.

Zak's tired eyes widened.

"Oooh! That would be a cool one!" he agreed.

I nodded and laid my head on his shoulder blade.

"I've always wanted to have a conversation with him. Just sit down and talk," Zak said with a yawn.

I smiled and raised my head to look down at him.

"Maybe one day we will," I said.

Zak smiled at that.

"But for now, you need sleep," I said, "Get up, big boy."

I gave Zak's ass a playful slap. He didn't move.

"No!" he argued.

"Get up or I'll pick you up," I said.

"No you won't," he said into the mattress.

He sounded so ridiculously tired-too tired to be putting up this little fight. It was so adorably funny.

"Don't test me, Zachary," I said, pretending to be all serious and shit.

Zak didn't say anything.

"Are you going to get up?" I asked.

"Nope," he mumbled.

"That's it!" I declared.

I grabbed Zak's right hip and nudged his legs out from under him. Catching his heavy legs in my other arm, I shoved him up into the bed. I figured by the time I grabbed his hip, he'd make an attempt to move. However, he was no help at all. It was a good thing I was used to picking up heavy things. I hauled feed bags at my Grandpa's ranch when I was younger, marched with heavy instruments in the high school band, and lifted heavy cases with Billy all the time. Zak was not much different, but he was still really heavy. By some stroke of luck, though, I managed to shove his whole body into the bed.

"If you ever end up unconscious somewhere, you won't be able to count on me to drag you out," I said.

I was out of breath just by rolling him up onto the tall bed and trying not to drop him. Zak rolled over and sat up.

"I didn't think you could do it," he admitted.

I crossed my arms over my chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hey! I'm stronger than I look," I said.

Zak smiled.

"I know," he said sleepily.

Zak fell over onto his side. I reached up and yanked his Converse off of his feet.

"You go to sleep, Zak. You need your rest," I said.

Zak slowly blinked at me.

"Are you coming to bed?" he asked, sounding a little sad.

"Yes, sweetie. I gotta get out of these clothes and brush my teeth and I'll be back," I told him.

Seeming satisfied by that, he closed his eyes and snuggled into the bed, still clad in a t-shirt and jeans. I noticed that his glasses were still on, sitting crooked on his nose. I shook my head and pulled them off of his face, gently folding them and setting them on the nightstand. I was sure his phone was still on him somewhere, so I dug through his pockets until I found it. I then searched for its charger. I really didn't want to hear the bitching about his dead battery, and he really needed his phone for emergencies. So, I hooked it up before digging through my own luggage for a pair of shorts and an old tank top.  
After getting ready for bed, I put my own phone on its charger and turned out the lights. I then climbed up into bed. As my weight caused the mattress to depress, Zak rolled over. I could see his cheekbones and eyes in the streetlight coming in through the window. I laid down beside him and scooted under the covers. It was then I noticed he had taken his t-shirt off. Zak wrapped his large arms me and kissed me.

"Goodnight, Michael," he said softly.

"Night-night, Zak," I whispered.

Zak raised his head up and stroked my cheek. I had my eyes closed, but I could feel his eyes on me. He often did this. If he didn't fall asleep before I did, he would hold me and run his fingers through my hair or stroke my cheek. Sometimes he would bury his nose in my hair and hum whatever song was stuck in his head. I had never experienced this when he was dead tired like this, though. I couldn't believe he would do it when I knew he was aching for sleep, but it made me love him all the more for it.  
As sleep slowly claimed me, Zak perched his chin on top on mine and began humming something that I thought I recognized. I wouldn't realize what it was until morning-a song that I had played over and over again and sung while I was busy doing whatever. It was a song that was near and dear to my heart, and hearing it hummed by Zak was the most amazing thing ever.  
This was going to be an awesome trip.

Xxx

Zak woke from a deep sleep for what he thought was no reason, other than the need to use the bathroom. He didn't want to get up. He was warm and he just wanted to get an hour or two more of sleep. From the light coming in through the window, he could tell it was early morning. Soon, Michael would wake up and the guys would be up and ready to go to breakfast. Zak wanted to just go back to sleep, but waking like that after sleeping so well would make it harder for him to catch another hour of shut-eye.  
Zak decided to go ahead and get up. He needed to change clothes and have a shower, since he was much too tired to do it the night before. However, the position he and Michael were in would prove getting out of bed difficult-especially if he didn't want to wake Michael up. Zak had managed to maneuver himself completely sideways in his sleep. He woke up twisted and his face buried in Michael's pillow she had brought from home. Michael was laying across his stomach, snoring softly as her head hung off of his side. Zak smiled and sat up slightly. Her long hair was everywhere, static causing it to stick to the pillows. Zak brushed it off of the pillows and his stomach, causing a crackling sound as the static connection was broken.  
He wondered how Michael dealt with his sleeping. How many times had his restless sleeping woke her? How did she not get fed up and beat him senseless with a pillow? He was nothing but a handful to put up with.

"How do you put up with me?" he whispered as he ran a hand over her hair.

Zak bent over to kiss the top of her head and then slid out from under her, placing a pillow under her head. She inhaled sharply, but didn't wake as Zak made his escape. Zak proceeded to pad over and get his clothes and toiletries from their pile of luggage and make his way to the bathroom.  
As Zak was shampooing his hair, he heard weird sound that made him stop scrubbing. Zak froze and listened. The sound could have been anything, but his always alert ears heard a rumbling outside the bathroom door. It could have been anything. It could have been Michael waking up and moving things around, or perhaps somebody wheeling their suitcase down the hall. As Zak stood still, staring at the shower curtain, he heard nothing but the calming sound of the water falling from the shower head. Hearing and feeling nothing, Zak returned back to his shower and rinsed out his hair. He wondered if maybe his stomach had grumbled, or perhaps the pipes in the walls had made the sound. Zak grasped the shower head and moved it around. It made a similar noise, but not exactly what Zak had heard, or thought he heard. So, thinking nothing more about it, Zak finished his shower and got out.  
After drying and getting dressed, Zak opened the bathroom door to let the steam out. He then went back to the sink and began to get ready. He went over the day's plans in his mind. He wanted to take Michael around London and let her see what all American tourists like to look at. He knew Nick wanted to take a bus tour, so he thought about doing that, but what he really wanted to do was get some research done on their new location. He could easily just get online or call Jeff, their researcher, but he wanted to get it done himself.  
As he thought about this, he had a sudden shift in his mood. He didn't think anything of it at first, until a pain shot up his neck and throughout his head, giving him a splitting headache. Zak dropped his hairbrush and pressed his hands into his temples. At first, he thought he was developing a real headache, possibly from dehydration caused by flying yesterday, but when he heard the rumbling again that he had heard in the shower before. Except this time, it wasn't so much a rumbling as it was a dark growling. Zak felt his body go cold. Then, searing hot pain ripped through his skull. Zak pressed his hands to his eyes. Behind closed eyelids, he began seeing flashes, as if he was walking through a black and white dream. Zak whimpered and clutched onto the counter, his fingernails digging into the white marble as he tried to grit his teeth and bear the pain. It was so excruciating, he couldn't even make himself scream. He needed Michael, but he had no way of calling for her. He couldn't make a sound. He couldn't move.  
Behind his eyelids, he saw flashes of himself walking towards the bed where Michael was sleeping. He felt uncontrollable anger coursing through his veins, and he wasn't sure if it was his own anger or something causing it, but he was beyond pissed. He felt like he had gone insane. He could see and feel a gun in his hands. He watched as he climbed on the bed and violently rolled Michael over, where he proceeded to wrap his hands around her neck. He saw the fear in her eyes, and he felt sick when he realized he relished that look. Zak knew this wasn't him at all, and he tried to fight it while he was still comprehensive. Every time he tried to pray or telepathically scream out for God, his head hurt even worse. He watched as the light faded from Michael's eyes, then sick pleasure flooded him as he raised the gun and pulled the trigger, causing gray brain matter to blast all over the headboard and the pillows.  
Zak fought to peel his eyes open. The light from the fluorescent light above the mirror caused his headache to increase in pressure, but he forced himself to open them. He was stronger than this demonic entity, and he was going to prove it. When his eyes came into focus, Zak snatched the Black Tourmaline bracelet and his winged skull necklace, pressing them against the wedding band on his ring finger. The pain immediately ceased and the images were gone. Zak fell backwards against the opposite wall and slid down in it in a heap. Tears flooded from his eyes as he pulled his knees to his chest. He clasped his hands with the protective jewelry inside his palms and held them to his forehead, saying every protective and healing prayer he knew.  
Zak then put his legs down, his toes barely touching the cabinet beneath the sink. He laid his head back against the tile wall.

"You can't have me," Zak said out loud.

The energy in the bathroom returned to normal. Zak stood up and put on his jewelry as he walked back out into the bedroom. Michael was still in the same position she had been before. Zak checked her, making sure that the entity hadn't touched her. He sensed nothing and saw no marks. Zak knew that this demonic attachment was just out to torture him. It showed him the images just to piss him off and weaken him, but Zak knew he could be manipulated to actually do it, and that scared him.  
Zak walked over to his backpack to grab a protein bar and a bottle of water. He had to get his energy back up. He then grabbed his phone off of the charger and texted Nick as he climbed back in the bed and nestled himself beside his wife. He would never be able to shake the images of him blasting her brains out, but the more he stayed with her, the more they faded.  
Zak set his phone down and waited for Nick's reply. Michael stirred and rolled over. Her arms wound around Zak's leg and she pressed her head against his jeans. Zak smiled and reached down to ruffle her hair. It was like she could sense his presence. Aaron and Nick both had told him that they were soul mates, and now Zak truly believed it. His and Michael's energies seemed to be so strongly bonded, that even in death, they would be drawn back to each other. Zak loved that idea, and it was a thought that kept him in high spirits when he was in a funk. His soul belonged to her and only her, and he was determined the keep it that way.

Xxx  
**The following day.**

"Rock, paper, scissors!"

"Dammit, Aaron!" I barked.

"You fucking pick rock every time!" Aaron exclaimed.

"You're copying me!" I argued.

Nick raised both of his hands and swatted both mine and Aaron's hands.

"Start over," he ordered.

"Guys," Billy said.

Nick, Aaron and I looked up at Billy's reflection in the rearview mirror.

"You better pick right now, because if you three don't make up your mind, we're going to go where Zak wants to," he said.

The three of us looked back at each other.

"Okay, you two go," Nick said, "I'll be the ref."

"'Kay," Aaron said, then looking at me.

"Best two out of three. Ready, set-"

I raised my fist, ready to jump the gun and cheat. Ever since we left the hotel, Aaron, Nick and I could not decide where we wanted to go. We had already toured London our first day here, and today we could either go to Stonehenge first, or do a Jack the Ripper ghost tour thing they had going, but we couldn't make up our minds. I wanted to do the tour first, since the sun wouldn't come out until this afternoon and I wanted well lit pictures of Stonehenge. The boys, however, wanted to do Stonehenge first and saved the more exciting activities for last. It was a decision that could only be solved by a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors." It would have been easy, had Aaron played right.

"Michael, don't cheat! Put your hand down!" Aaron scolded.

"I'm not cheating!"

"You two watch her," Zak spoke up, "She cheats more than...a cheetah. I don't fucking know!"

Nick giggled.

"Your jokes are so bad, bro," he said.

Zak waved him off.

"Shut up!" he snapped.

"He's only saying that 'cause I owned his ass on Mario Kart," I said lowly.

Aaron and Nick giggled.

"You cheated," Zak grumbled.

I just rolled my eyes.

"Okay, ready?" Aaron asked.

I positioned my fist over my palm.

"Rock, paper-"

Aaron and I were cut off my Zak's ringing cell phone.

"ARGH!" Aaron screamed.

"Shh! Let's just do it quietly," Nick said lowly.

We almost went along with it, had Zak not snapped his fingers at is.

"Mom's mad! Be good!" Aaron whispered.

Zak glared at him before answering his phone.

"Hello?" he asked.

"I still say we go to the tour first," Aaron whispered.

"No! Stonehenge!" I whispered back.

"Jack the Ripper!" Aaron hissed.

"Stonehenge! Aaron, that tour is going on from 9:00 to 9:00! We have all day," I hissed back.

"Guys! Shush!" Nick scolded, smacking both of us lightly.

"Are you serious?" Zak asked.

Zak's annoyed tone caught our attention. Nick, Aaron and I looked up. Zak's pressed his fingertips into Billy's arm, grabbing his attention. Billy slowed the van down and looked worriedly at his friend.  
Zak pressed his phone into his chest.

"Find a parking lot or something to pull into," he said quietly.

Billy nodded and turned left out onto a new street. Zak put his phone back up to his ear.

"We can totally do that...Yeah, it's no problem. We're already here," Zak said into the phone.

Nick, Aaron, Billy, Jay and I exchanged nervous glances. What was going on?

"Is there someone we can follow out there? Maybe somewhere we can meet, because we don't know the area that well. We have no idea how to get out there. I mean, our manager gave us an address, but I am at loss...Okay...Okay, sure. We can do that. Can you give us about 45 minutes or so, if it's no problem?...Great. Thank-you so much, sir...Oh, it's not a big deal. I understand that these things happen. Thank-you for letting us go ahead and do this...No problem...Okay. Thank-you, sir. We'll meet you out in front of the hotel...Good-bye."

Zak hung up and sighed heavily.

"Change of plans, guys," he announced.

"Dammit," Nick muttered.

"Some weird something is going on on lockdown day, which means we can't go out there. So, the owner of the property is allowing us to do it tomorrow and he's rearranged the interviews for today. That means we need to prepare and get our asses out there. It's about an hour and a half drive, so you guys get everything you need and use the toilet and all, 'cause we gotta book it, okay?"

We nodded at Zak.

"So, go back to the hotel?" Billy asked.

Zak nodded.

"What is this place we're going to?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, you forget to mention what it was," Aaron added.

Zak shrugged.

"It's a haunted house, Shabby and Scoob," he said.

I laughed at that. Nick scoffed and Aaron barked.

"Don't be hatin' on Scooby-Doo, bro," Aaron said, "Love Scooby-Doo!"

"If we're Shaggy and Scooby," Nick began.

"Then, Zak's Daphne," I said teasingly.

"Bullshit! I'm Fred!" he said.

Nick smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Hey! If you're Fred, Zak, then would that make Mikey-"

I cut Billy off.

"Velma!" I shouted.

"Daphne," Billy managed to squeak out.

I grabbed my hoodie out of the floor and proceeded to smack his arm with it. Billy laughed and tried to hit back while he drove.

"Michael, stop! He's driving!" he scolded.

I glared at Aaron and reached down for a bag of crackers Nick had.

"Here, Scoob. Have a Scooby Snack," I said.

Zak, Nick and Jay laughed at me. Nick snatched back his crackers and began to munch on them.

"That's my line!" he said.

We giggled at Nick and finally quieted down. About five minutes later, Jay spoke.

"I wanna be Velma," he said quietly.

We all burst out laughing.

Xxx

Zak looked up and literally fell to his knees.

"Bro, get up," Nick said as he and Aaron followed Billy and I with cameras.

Zak stared up at the mountain with his jaw hanging open and his eyes as wide as they would go. I had no idea what he was looking at until I saw it. I squeaked when my eyes locked onto it. High up in a cliff side was an old mansion that looked like the House of Frankenstein or something. With this cloudy, rainy Dracula weather, it made the old mansion in the mountain look even creepier. It was no wonder Zak had been brought down to his knees in awe.  
An older man, probably in his 50s, and a plump woman with brassy red hair stepped out of the car we had followed up here.

"Welcome to Ivanov Mansion," she said, her British accent taking me off guard.

I was not yet used to hearing the accent, seeing as I had only heard it through the TV. It was weird, but so cool. I bet she thought the same about us, as well.  
The man and woman introduced themselves as Harrison and Patricia. After Zak stood to his feet and introduced all of us, Nick asked about why we were parked in a gravel parking lot instead of at the house. Were they scared to go near the house?

"Why are we parked way down here instead of closer?" Nick inquired.

"There's only one way up there," Harrison replied.

"There's not a driveway?" Zak asked.

Harrison turned to Zak.

"Well, there used to be, but this mansion has been abandoned since 1877, so the driveway has been taken back by mother nature," he replied.

Zak's eyes widened.

"Really? 1877?" he asked.

Harrison and Patricia nodded.

"The home belonged to the Baron Jefferson Ivanov, his wife, Anita, and their son, Percy. The Baron and his wife were partners in crime, I guess you could say," Patricia began.

Zak tilted his head to the side.

"How?" he asked.

"Well, they each had, I suppose, a little fetish," she replied.

Zak's eyes widened and a shit-eating grin crawled across his features.

"What kind of fetish?" he dared ask.

Aaron snorted.

"Of course, Zak is interested in what kind," Nick said with a grin.

Zak glared at them, causing Patricia to laugh.

"You can go sit in the van," he said to Nick.

"Nah, I'm good," Nick said.

Zak just shook his head and turned back to Patricia.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"No, it's fine. To answer your question, the Baron and his wife were attracted to murder. They became obsessed with it after they killed several men who didn't like the Baron too well," she explained.

"They were obsessed with torture, also," Harrison added, "They loved to torture their victims before they killed them."

"They were the Bonnie and Clyde of England," Patricia said, "They would pick people off of the streets of London during the middle of the night, kidnap them, and take them back to the mansion to do ungodly things to them," Patricia said.

"Anita would be the Baron's assistant, of sorts. She would use her looks to attract men, bring them back here, and assist in the torture or even the experiments on the bodies," Harrison said.

"Experiments?" Zak asked in surprise.

"Oh yes indeed!" Patricia replied, "All sorts of macabre things went on here. It almost sounds a little reminiscent of Edgar Allen Poe, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does sound a little fictional," Zak agreed, now a little concerned about what we were doing, "Just to make sure, all of this is documented, correct?"

"Oh yes. Yes, sir. Even some of the stuff that started off as rumors," Harrison replied.

"What rumors?" Nick asked.

"It was rumored in the myth that goes with the story of the Ivanovs that they practiced necrophilia and other sick acts. Later in 1962, when the mansion was rediscovered by a road crew, they found evidence of satanic rituals and even black magic," Patricia answered.

"Are you serious?" Zak asked.

Nick and I cut our eyes at Zak. All of us shared a mutual concern. After Zak's episode in the hotel bathroom, we had been really worried, but we kept our plans. There was no backing out now.

"And they raised a child here?" Zak asked, his voice raising in pitch.

Patricia nodded.

"Believe or not, they treated their son very well. He was well loved by the Baron and Anita. They treated their son like gold. However, at about five years old, little Percy caught fever and died," Patricia explained.

"Now, is his death documented?" Zak asked.

"Yes, sir," she said.

"Okay. The reason I ask is so we can prove this to our audience. We try not to go on spoken word alone," Zak explained.

Patricia nodded.

"Of course! We understand that. I wouldn't either. But his death is documented, I can assure you. What we don't have, however, are the death records of the Baron or Anita. It's rumored that they fled to Russia, Jefferson's home country."

"Why did they leave? Did they leave after Percy passed?" Zak asked.

"No. After Percy passed away, the killings by the Ivanovs became more violent and cold. It turned Anita very reckless and the Baron cold. They were mad. I mean barking mad! They stayed in this house for 50 years. They were married and moved here in 1837 and after a hard rain caused a flood in the dungeon and first floor, they fled in 1877," Patricia explained.

"Wow. So how was the house discovered?" Zak asked.

"A road crew were out here scouting the area. There were plans to build a road that would create a shortcut through the mountains here, but once the crew discovered the house and who it originally belonged to, plans were cancelled. Police later came out here and found human remains in the dungeon. Everything from bone fragments to full skeletons in chains."

The Crew and I exchanged frightened and excited glances.

"They kept people in the dungeon? They had a dungeon?" Zak asked, incredulously.

"Yes! It's through the cave entrance. You will walk up that path there," Harrison said, pointing to a trail that led into the woods.

The trail was blocked off by a cattle gate.

"Inside the cave is a cavern. That is where the satanic rituals took place. It's always where it is believed a portal was opened. We had a paranormal team here before to investigate. When they discovered the cavern, they got spooked and left in the middle of the night," Patricia said.

"Really?" Zak asked.

Patricia nodded.

"Well," Zak looked up at Nick and Aaron, "We're not one to run out in the middle of the night. That's for sure."

"Well, it may be different when you get in there. We won't even go in there," Patricia said.

Zak looked terrified.

"Why not?" he asked.

"We just...just no. We don't," she replied.

"You boys are very brave to even think about going up there. This place is no good," Harrison said.

The Crew and I exchanged unsure glances. That feeling I felt in the plane came back. Why were they scared? And furthermore, how were we going to do our walkthrough if the owners wouldn't even set foot in the place?

"Dude, this is like Poveglia all over again!" Aaron said to Nick, who nodded in agreement.

"I told you guys I had a bad feeling about coming here," I whispered to them.

"Too late now," Billy whispered to me.

I crossed my arms, suddenly not feeling so excited. This was not an episode of _Scooby-Doo_, where they solve the mystery and unmask the monster as Old Man Whoeverthehell. This was something totally different, and Zak's episode in the hotel had only made my nervousness worse. I wanted to investigate, but something was telling me not to. There was no backing out now, as Billy said, but even if we did want to, Zak was too infatuated with the place. We weren't going anywhere!

Harrison and Patricia finished explaining the claims and how to make it inside the mansion. We were told to be especially careful, since the house had gone since 1877 without any sort of maintenance. We could easily get hurt, if not by angry spirits, then by the house itself. Usually, my reckless self would have never cared or even listened to the warning, but now, I worried for the boys' safety. I must be getting old.

"Okay," Zak spoke up after Patricia and Harrison finished speaking with us, "Billy and Jay, I want you guys to find a spot for a nerve-center. The rest of us are going to go through the place and put X's down. Mikey, you come with me and do pictures. Before we leave, I'm going to call up Jeff and see if we can get anymore people to interview. Maybe that paranormal team that got the shit scared out of them."

The boys and I nodded. We followed Zak through the gate and up what seemed to be an old driveway. As we made our way through the grass, we saw the cave ahead. The opening had to be at least ten feet high and wide enough to fit a car.

"That must be it," Nick said.

I stood behind with Billy and Jay and took pictures of the boys as they approached the cave opening.

"Hey, Michael? Doesn't this remind you of that movie we watched? The Frankenstein one?" Zak asked.

I nodded and began to snap away.

"This is the cave," Zak said to the cameras, "where Baron Jefferson Ivanov brought in his victims. Through here is the cavern and then the dungeon."

Zak looked down the dark hole in the mountain, then back at the cameras.

"I hope we can find our way into the mansion," he said.

Aaron chuckled.

"Let's go, guys. Michael?" Zak asked.

Ah, damn!

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I wanna try something. Come here, sweetie," he said.

I put my camera down and walked over to him. Zak extended his hand and I took it.

"Aww! Zak's scared to go into the cave!" Aaron said teasingly.

Nick giggled at him.

"Aaron, shut up! I am not! I wanna try something. Michael, I found, has this way of repelling darkness and I want to see if it works here or not," Zak explained.

"I still say he's scared," Aaron murmured to Nick.

"Totally!" Nick agreed.

Zak rolled his eyes and looked down at me.

"I've been thinking about it, and I think you have a gift," he said quietly.

I jerked my head up to look at him. I had to squint, seeing as we were walking further into the tunnel and the light was fading.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Zak just smiled.

"You'll see," he said.

I was now completely confused.

The Crew and I walked through the tunnel until we reached the cavern. The thing was huge and stalagmites and stalactites littered the floor and ceiling. There were areas of the floor that had been polished and smoothed out.

"This must be where they did the supposed satanic rituals," Zak said.

I turned my flashlight on and shined the light up to the ceiling. Dripping stalactites were everywhere!

"Zak, I want a cave," I said.

Seriously. This place was so cool! I got excited just thinking about what kinds of pictures I was going to get.

"Sweetie, you have a cave. That bedroom we converted for you," Zak said.

"My office? No, I want a real one!" I said.

Zak just smiled and shook his head. I shined my light around to the far end of the cave. In a corner where water had cut out a hole, I could have sworn I saw movement. The boys were too busy talking to notice, but I could have sworn I saw something. Excited at the thought that it could have been a shadow figure, I wandered off closer to see. When I heard an echoing squeak, I knew exactly what I saw. In a small cut-out in the cavern wall was a family of bats.

"Ah damn," I said.

As a kid, I would think that it was so cool to be in a cave full of bats, but I learned later on how disgusting bats were.

"Hey, guys?" I asked.

The Crew stopped talking and I listened as they walked over to me.

"What's up?" Aaron asked.

"We got bats," I said.

Zak grasped my shoulders and looked up at the little black bats hanging upside-down.

"Sweet!" he said excited.

"Where there are bats, there is what, Zak?" I asked in all seriousness.

"Guano!" he said and laughed.

"Which is not something you should be breathing in," I went on.

I shined the flashlight on Zak. I watched as his face fell.

"Oooh, you're right, sweetie. I'm going to need a damn mask. Fuck!" he spat.

"We all might, bro," Aaron said.

"There's no telling what kind of contaminants are in that house," I said to Zak.

"Well, we'll go naked on this walkthrough then," he said, "When we come back, everyone has to wear a respirator mask, okay?"

We all nodded in agreement.

Later, after making our way through the dungeon, we found our way up a flight of stairs and into the first floor of the Ivanov Mansion. We entered through a hallway completely made of stone. Faint light from outside shine in through one end of the hall, so the guys and I followed Zak across the rotting wooden floor and into the great room at the front of the house.

"This was the area that flooded, guys. Be very careful where you step...Aaron!" Zak said.

"Yeah, Mikey!" Aaron retorted.

"Oh my God! You're never going to let that go, are you?" I asked.

Aaron shook his head and grinned. We stepped out into the great room, Zak and I both in complete astonishment. The room had a ceiling that had to be two stories high. The walls were all stone, and where there was not stone was wood. There was a huge ornately carved fireplace that went straight up into the ceiling. The decorations reminded me of Zak's cool fireplace in his dungeon. The entire room was like something right off of a classic horror movie set.

"Mikey," Zak said.

I looked up at him, reluctantly tearing my eyes away from the castle-like interior.

"We're going to have a gothic mansion one day, sweetie. Just like this one. Cave and all," he said.

I smiled at him. There was no doubt in my mind that Zak would one day find one, whether it was in the States or in the dead center of the Mongolian Desert, he'd find one.

Xxx  
**Lockdown Day  
10:00 P.M.**

"Let's go over our X's real fast, and then I'll tell you guys where to start, alright?" Zak asked.

The guys and I nodded.

"Okay, down in the cave, we have an X-cam. This is where it was said satanic rituals and black magic was performed. This is always where a portal to hell is believed to be. Blood sacrifices were done in here. Next, we have two in the dungeon. This is where they found human remains in 1962. This is where the Baron kept his victims. It is said there have been unexplained sounds and even shadow figures in here. Next two are in the lab and the torture room. Again, more unexplained noises, orbs, and shadow figures. Then, there's Percy's room where he passed away. You can here crying from this room and even voices. Finally, there's the backyard where Percy's grave is. We have a camera on the back porch because some people have seen mist-like apparitions walking out of the trees. Billy and Jay are going to be stationed here in the east side library. They are going to be monitoring audio and video. Aaron, I want you to do a thermal sweep in the cavern and the backyard when we get there. Nick, you will be covering the lab later while Aaron and I cover the dungeon and the cavern. All three of us are going to do the torture room. But first thing's first, Michael," Zak said.

Shit.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to go with the full-spec camera and do a sweep of Percy's room. You will go with Nick. His room was on the second floor at the end of the hall. See if you guys can communicate with him. Aaron and I are going to go to the backyard and see if we can get any evidence. Again, be very, very careful. Please keep your masks on unless you're outside. Nick and I opened windows in most of the rooms we'll be in, but keep them on just incase. Call me if you notice anything weird or if something gets active. Are you guys ready?"

"Hell yeah!" nearly all of us exclaimed.

Zak put in his fist, we fist-bumped, then split off.

I followed Nick out of the library and we walked up the grand staircase in the middle of the great room.

"This is like _The Munsters_," I said.

Nick chuckled.

"You think a dragon will pop out of the stairs?" Nick asked.

I laughed.

"Here, Spot!" I called.

Nick and I laughed and turned to go down the hall to Percy's room. We immediately felt a strange vibe upon leaving the stairs. Above us, we heard a really, well, weird groaning. Nick stopped and looked at me.

"Was that you?" he asked.

"No," I replied.

Nick looked up. I turned on my flashlight and shined the light up on the ceiling.

"Maybe it was just the house," he said.

"Probably. Let's go find Percy's room!" I said excitedly.

Nick got excited and we bolted for the end of the hall.

Xxx

After finding nothing and paying their respects to anyone, including Percy Ivanov, buried in the backyard, Zak and Aaron made their way down to the cavern. Zak watched nervously from the door between the cavern and the dungeon as Aaron did his thermal sweep.

"Zak, come on. Don't leave me in here by myself, g. It's creepy as hell in here. Cool, but still creepy," Aaron said.

"No," Zak said lowly.

"What?" Aaron exclaimed.

"I don't want to be down here any longer than I have to be, bro. I don't want to be exposed to whatever evil could be down here," Zak replied.

"Damn! That's a first!" Aaron said loudly, his laugh echoing off of the cavern walls.

"I don't need to be getting into this kind of shit right now, Aaron!"

"Bro, you were down here yesterday laughing and having a good time. You didn't feel anything," Aaron pointed out.

Zak eye's widened.

"That's right! Michael was with me, too!" he said, intrigued.

"Now would be a good time to test your theory since she's upstairs with Nick!" Aaron said excitedly.

Zak looked anxiously around the cavern as if something was hiding in the shadows. Of course, he knew all too well that _anything_ could be hiding, but his eyes saw nothing. With the coast visually clear, Zak walked nearly on tip-toe towards Aaron.

"Anything?" Aaron asked.

Zak's eyes darted around.

"No, but bro, as soon as I do, we're out. I can't overexpose myself right now," he said.

Aaron nodded.

"That's cool, bro. What should we do first?" Aaron asked,

Zak sighed.

"Let's start an EVP session," he replied.

Xxx

"What?" Nick asked.

"I heard it again!" I whispered.

"What? That groaning noise?" Nick asked.

"Yuh-huh," I replied with a nod.

"It's gotta be the wind. We are on a cliff side, after all," Nick pointed out.

I nodded in agreement.

"It does sound a lot like a creaky chair," he went on.

I smiled.

"Yeah, the chair of a giant!" I said.

Nick laughed.

"Come on. I think this was Percy's room," Nick said, waving me over.

I followed Nick in through a wooden archway and onto this sort of loft area. Below was the biggest bedroom for a child that I had ever seen. The space was huge! A total of six large windows lined the three surrounding walls. The floor was made of polished stone and was littered with crumbling rock debris, rotten wood planks, and various amounts of rodent droppings. This place had to be overrun by small animals, and Nick had his mask on, but I did not. The Crew only had three, and I decided that their lungs were more important. Besides, I was only staying for a little while before I returned to Jay and Billy.  
Directly below where Nick and I were standing was a rusting, decrepit bed frame.

"That must have been Percy's bed," Nick said softly, "Let's go!"

Nick and I climbed down the stone steps and over to the bed frame.

"Is this where he died?" I asked.

"It's said he died on the bed. His mom was right by his side when it happened," Nick replied.

I cringed.

"Man!" I whispered.

I walked around the room. Globs of cotton were strewn everywhere, and when I saw the head of an old teddy bear, I knew it must have been stuffing.

"Check this old rocking horse out!" Nick said.

I walked over to see the remains of an old Victorian rocking horse. It had been eroded and chewed up. The leather bridle and saddle was denigrating and the mane and tail were missing.

"It looks like it would crumble if you touch it," I said.

Nick nodded.

"But what a trigger object!" he said.

"Oh, I know!" I agreed.

"What should we do first? You wanna do a spirit box session?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, let me do a sweep first. Then, we can start," I said.

"Okay, Mikes."

As I did my sweep, Nick followed me around and filmed me. I took 20 to 30 pictures, but saw nothing that could possible be supernatural on the screen during review.

"You ready to start the spirit box session?" Nick asked.

"Yeah," I replied as I shut off the camera.

Nick walked over to the stairs and sat down. He faced his camera towards him and turned on the spirit box. I stood nearby the bed frame. When the static noise blasted through the spirit box, I cringed.

"I hate that thing," I said.

Nick looked up at me.

"It's annoying, isn't it?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded.

"Okay, I'm about to start a spirit box session," Nick said to his camera, "Mikey and I are in Percy's bedroom. We're going to see if maybe we can make contact with him."

Nick then proceeded to ask questions.

"Are there any spirits in here that wish to speak with us? My name is Nick. This is Mikey. We mean you no harm. We just want to see if we talk to you," Nick began.

As if on cue, the energy in the room changed. Behind me, I heard what sounded like a cry. I spun around and Nick jumped and gasped.

"Did you hear that, Mikey?" he asked.

"Loud and clear, bro," I replied.

"It sounded like a woman crying," he said.

"Or maybe even a little boy," I added.

"Oooh, yeah!" Nick agreed, then continued asking questions, "Percy, are you in here?"

The spirit box didn't speak.

"Is that you we heard crying?" Nick asked.

Again nothing.

"Why would Percy still be here? Kids don't know about death. Why wouldn't he just cross over?" I asked.

"That's what I would like to know, too. You'd think he'd see the light and just cross on over, but he died so suddenly. Maybe he's lost and looking for his mom," Nick said.

"Or maybe there's something else trapping him here," I said darkly.

"Oooh! That's possible, Mikes! Let me ask. Percy, why are you still here? Is something keeping you from going to the light?" Nick asked.

I was concentrating hard on Nick. I could barely see the side of his head in the light of his LCD screen, which was turned away from his face so he could film himself. I thought it was my eyes were losing focus in the dark room, but as I took a step forward, I nearly lost my balance.

"Shit!" I hissed, pressing my hands to the sides of my head.

"What's wrong, Mikey?" Nick asked.

"I feel really dizzy all of sudden," I replied.

"You're sensing spirit. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," I replied.

"Okay. Percy, are you here with us?" Nick asked.

A noise from the spirit box made us jump.

"What did it say?" I asked.

"I thought it said 'Mhmm.' It sounded like a child, too! Percy, can you tell us how you died?"

I entwined my fingers together and held them at the back of my head as I began to pace around. I suddenly didn't feel right. I thought and hoped that it was the nasty air in the room, but I wasn't sure.

"Are you okay, Mikey?" Nick asked.

"I feel weird. I'm okay. Keep asking questions. Try questions that he can answer easily. Remember, he was only five years old when he died," I said.

"Oh, that's right! Okay. Hey, Percy? Would you like to come play with us?" Nick asked.

Nick stood up and walked over to the rocking horse.

"Was this your rocking horse? Do you play on this?"

Just then, a cry came from the spirit box.

"That sounded like a woman again," Nick asked.

I suddenly had an idea.

"What if it's Anita? Didn't Zak say that she stayed at Percy's bedside while he was sick?" I asked.

"That's possible. Anita, are you here? Holy shit I have the chills!"

I didn't feel right. I walked away from Nick and over to Percy's bed. I grasped the rusted metal and closed my eyes. My mood and shifted to a more negative side, and I wasn't sure why.

"Mikey?" Nick asked.

Nick turned his flashlight on and shined it on me.

"Mikey, you don't look so good. Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you need to go out and get some fresh air," he suggested.

"I'm fine," I argued.

I wasn't fine, though. I felt really bad. I didn't feel sick or anything, just bad. As I looked down on the bed, I saw a fully made bed. A little boy with kinky, curly blonde hair lay sleeping with a washcloth across his forehead. He looked so gaunt for a five year old boy. His skin was as gray as a mushroom, but his cheeks and nose were tinged red. He looked like he needed to go to the emergency room. I then saw a hand reach out for the little boy's hands. This new hand was larger, but feminine. It held the little boy's hands as he heaved several more times before stopping. Again, I heard a heartbreaking cry, and the images morphed. Now, instead of a little boy, I saw myself. Instead of the random feminine hand holding the little boy's, it was Zak's hand over mine. I saw the pain in Zak's eyes and I heard his whimpered that he had let out in the crook of my neck.  
I felt my heart clench and tears well up.

"Nick?" I asked shakily.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked.

"What is it like to be channelled? I think I just was," I said.

Nick walked over to me.

"Holy shit, Mikes. It's cold as hell over here!"

"Nick, I felt what she felt when he died," I said.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"I felt it," I whispered.

I crouched down and pressed my hands to my eyes. I couldn't control my emotions. I tried to fight it, but I ended up breaking down and crying. Nick crouched down beside me and put his arm around my shoulders.

"I'm sorry. It's just...I felt all that pain again. That heartbreak and...loss," I said softly.

Nick reached his arms around me and hugged me.

"It's okay, Mikey. That had to be Anita. She was probably connecting her feelings with you. She was trying to relate," he said.

I didn't care.

"I need out of here," was all I said.

I stood up and walked back up the stairs and out the door. I walked across the hall slammed my back against the rock, and slid down it. I pulled my knees up to my chin, crossed my arms, and buried my face. A cruel mixture of sadness and anger flooded through my veins. I was pissed that I was feeling these emotions again. Yes Anita, I understand your pain, but the wound is too fresh for this shit to be brought back up again. The guys didn't understand it, and neither did I, to be honest, but I was still broken from last month's events. They wouldn't understand how desperately I wanted to reverse all of this-for Zak.

"Zak, come in, bro," I heard Nick say into his walkie.

"Yeah?" Zak answered.

"Bro, Michael just got channeled. She's pretty upset. Why don't you come up here?"

"I'll be right up," Zak replied.

Nick soon appeared in the doorway. He walked over and squatted down in front of me.

"I miss her, Nick," I spoke.

I looked up at Nick in the light of his flashlight. Nick gently grasped my shoulder.

"I can't imagine the pain you're in, Mikes. I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better," he said sadly.

I raised my head.

"I'll be okay," I said, "I'm sorry if I messed everything up."

"You don't need to apologize, Mikey. This is something that has to be dealt with delicately," he said.

I nodded. Zak and Aaron came running down the hall. When I saw Zak, I scrambled to my feet and ran up to him. Zak scooped me up and held me tightly as I cried loudly into his chest.

"Shh, sweetie. It's okay," Zak said softly as he ran a hand up and down my back, "Guys, cameras down, please."

Zak put an arm around my shoulders and led me back down the hall to the stairs. When we arrived, he turned me around to face him and pulled his mask off.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said as I wiped my cheeks.

"Did Anita channel you?" Zak asked.

I nodded.

"She showed me how Percy died. It was so sad," I said.

"I bet."

"Then, I saw us," I choked down a sob, but it squeezed it's way out, "Right before we lost her."

I looked up at Zak. His eyes were mournful and sympathetic.

"Baby, I'm so sorry. If I knew this lockdown was going to be so emotional, I would have just let you stay with Billy."

"It's fine. It wasn't your fault. This stuff happens," I said.

"Are you okay? Do you want to continue?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"I need to finish my sweeps, but I would rather not," I said.

"Michael, you don't have to do anything. I can do it for you," he said.

As Zak spoke, the feelings and images replayed in my mind and caused me to resume crying. I had told myself I wouldn't cry anymore about what had happened, but I couldn't control it.

"I feel like a piece of shit, Zak. I feel totally worthless. This shit always happens when I'm here. I know fans probably get pissed by me," I rambled through tears.

This wasn't like me, and that worried me. I usually didn't give a shit if fans liked me or not. That's not what I was there for. These feelings weren't mine.

"Michael," Zak said.

He pulled me into a hug.

"You are not worthless. You're not a piece of shit, okay? You're just feeling residual emotion. Come on. Let's go see Billy," he suggested.

I nodded and took his hand. I felt like giving up. I felt like dying.


	22. Dead Awaiting

I had never felt so terrible in my life. I had never felt like such a burden before. The guys insisted that I was nothing of the sort, but I felt as if they were just trying to say anything to make me feel better. I hated feeling like a tag-along.  
Zak led me by the hand down a long hallway and to a set of double doors. Inside, I could hear Billy and Jay's voices echoing. When Zak opened the door, there were no lights except for the moonlight outside coming in through windows that covered the back wall of the library. The ceiling was extraordinarily high, an ancient, broken chandelier handing that looked as if it would fall at any moment. The right and left walls were covered from floor to ceiling in shelves, some of which still had dusty old books, torn pieces of paper, and little knickknacks. The center of the room held a massive, circular table. An old kerosene lamp sat collecting dust at the far end. At the back end of it, Jay and Billy had their monitors set up. Our equipment cases were lined against the bookshelves. The glass in the windows were all broken out, allowing fresh air to blow in, so there wasn't much concern for respirator masks. The library reminded me of Aunt Josephine's library from the novel _The Wide Window_ in Lemony Snicket's _A Series of Unfortunate Events_ books. As I walked up to the back windows, I half expected to see Lake Lachrymose churning below.

"Hey, what happened back there?" Billy asked worriedly.

I kept my head down as I walked to the windows. The warm, mountain air blowing in was inviting. The window looked like a perfect spot for someone to be thrown from.  
I climbed up on the window sill and carefully sat down on it, my back against the window frame. Zak didn't say anything to Billy as he followed me. I stretched one leg out and propped the other up. Zak sat down beside me. I wouldn't look at him. I felt oddly ashamed of myself. I didn't go in with my guard up or strength of any sort. I just went in open and vulnerable-everything I was taught not to be. I wasn't cut out for this, no matter how hard I tried to show Zak I could be just like him. I would never be as good of an investigator as he was.

"You feel better in here?" Zak asked.

I did feel a little bit more refreshed. There was a calm energy in the library, which helped.

"Yeah. I'll be alright. I'm sorry about that," I said.

"You don't have to apologize, sweetie. It's instinct for you. I know it's hard. I'm not sure if it'll ever get any easier, but you must know that I'm hurting, too. There's not one night that goes by that I don't think about it or blame myself. Michael, I know you've been worrying over me and stressing since what happened the other day."

"I think that this threw me overboard," I murmured.

Zak smiled.

"Probably. I wouldn't doubt it. You know what? When we get home, let's just chill out and relax. Do some spiritual detoxing. Have some us time. You deserve it after all of this bullshit," Zak said.

I gave him a small smile.

"That sounds like a plan," I said quietly.

Zak cupped my face and kissed my forehead.

"Love you, sweetie," he said as he pulled me into a hug.

"Love you, too," I mumbled into his shoulder.

Zak pulled away.

"Where's that camera I handed you earlier?" he asked.

I fished around on my shoulder strap and unhooked the full-spec camera, handing it to Zak. He took it and stood, checking it before turning around.

"Guys, Mikey is going to hang out down here with you. In about and hour we'll break for a bit, okay?" Zak asked.

"Sure," Billy said.

"Cool, man," Jay said, his eyes glued to a monitor.

Zak then made his way across the library and out the door. I took a deep breath and looked back outside. I was feeling a lot better and I was already ready to go back and investigate some more.

Xxx

Nick stood at the top of the stairs, his arms crossed over his chest and hurt written on his face. Aaron kept rolling. He had stopped recording when Zak had asked, but as soon as he and Michael were gone, he had his camera on Nick.

"What happened, dude? Tell us," Aaron said.

Nick looked up sadly at Aaron. His eyes scanned over the red light, letting him know that Aaron was recording.

"Michael got channelled," he replied.

"Oooh! Was it bad?" Aaron asked.

Nick sighed and looked away from the stairs where he had watched Zak and Michael disappear.

"It's..." Nick trailed off and sighed, "It's hard enough dealing with child spirits. We've dealt with them before and all, but this is different. Zak especially is very sensitive to child spirits, female spirits, you know? Well, for him and Michael, dealing with a spirit like this is very hard. A while back, Zak and Michael, believe it or not, were expecting their first child. Um, then, I guess it was last month?"

"Yeah, it was in March," Aaron agreed.

"Back in March, Michael got sick...and they lost their baby. That is why Michael reacted the way she did. Losing a child is the hardest thing for a parent to go through, and Michael connected with Anita on that level, but it's hard for her to deal with. Zak, I know, was just...in shambles. I have never seen him like that."

"You didn't even see the worst of it either, bro," Aaron said.

"Yeah, I know. It's a big deal. It was hard on them. It's been hard on the entire Crew," Nick finished.

"Damn straight," Aaron said.

A figure at the foot of the stairs caught Nick's eye. He and Aaron looked down to see Zak coming up the stairs. When Nick saw his face, he felt worried. It was the first time Nick had gotten a good look at his friend in a long time. He looked terrible.

"Is she okay?" Nick asked timidly, not wanting to upset or anger Zak.

Zak sighed.

"Yeah, she's alright. She's gonna stay at base," he replied.

"Was she pretty upset?" Aaron asked.

Zak nodded, his eyes glued to the floor.

"Well, bro, our hearts go out to you and Mikey. I can't imagine what I would do if I lost Annabelle," Nick said.

Zak nodded.

"Or, even Aaron. Bro, what if you got remarried and had kids and then something happened?" Nick asked.

"Or even my sister's kids," Aaron said.

"Mine, too, bro," Zak agreed.

"Oh yeah!" Nick said.

Zak looked into Aaron's camera.

"Losing a child, whether they be five years old, twenty years old, or even unborn is the hardest thing in the world! There's no pain like it, but we are overcoming. We know death is not the end, and you must remember that. It's how you move on, and it's how Mikey and I are moving on. These things just take time," Zak said, pumping positivity in his words.

"Well, are you okay, Zak?" Aaron asked.

Zak raised his head and looked at Aaron.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Do you guys want to go ahead and continue?" he asked.

Aaron and Nick nodded. Nick went to pick his camera back up.

"Where do you want to go, Zak?" Nick asked.

Zak pointed to Percy's bedroom door.

"Are you sure, bro?" Aaron asked, "Don't torture yourself."

"I'm not. I just want to help this child move on. Maybe Anita isn't at rest because she knows her son is still here," he said.

Nick and Aaron nodded in agreement. Zak looked back at them before he entered.

"I know I wouldn't be," he said.

Xxx  
**3:15 A.M.**

Boredom quickly overtook me at around midnight. I wanted to go back into the house and do the full-spectrum photography so Zak wouldn't have to, but when he and the boys returned for break, he insisted that I stay behind. I felt totally useless, but I tried to be helpful. Unfortunately for me, Billy and Jay had everything under control. I tried being social and joined the boys at the monitors, but staring at high-definition night vision for long periods of time hurts my eyes. Eventually, I gave up watching monitors. Billy had it covered and Jay had his earbuds in, listening to the guys as they performed their EVP session.  
I decided to walk the dark library and see if there was something that struck my interest. Maybe I could find a little souvenir to take back home with me. Zak snuck stuff all the time. He had a snake skull from a trip to a desert lockdown somewhere in Arizona (I believe that's what he said), and Nick had some old pottery he dug up. The only souvenir I had was a Thomas the Tank Engine tricycle, which I could have gotten at any Walmart. I wanted a real lockdown souvenir.  
I walked alongside the shelves, my eyes scanning for anything to cure my boredom. There wasn't much left on the shelves. I found torn corners of paper, old book covers with no titles, an ink well, but that was it. On the other side, however, I found one book still intact. Very carefully. I opened the book, it's brittle spine crackling as I did so. I hoped it didn't disintegrate before I even made it to the title page. I wondered if it was a book on bodies or maybe even a journal, but I knew if anything like that was still in this house, it was in the other library where Nick was. Very much like in the _Frankenstein_ movies, the Baron's lab was located behind a rotating bookshelf in the private library. That had to be where to good stuff was hidden, but I was still curious to see what this book was.

"Hey, what did ya find?"

I jumped in surprise and looked up to see Billy standing beside me.

"Oh hey, um," I turned a brittle page over to see a list of words, all in alphabetical order.

I slammed the book shut, sending dust flying everywhere.

"A fucking dictionary!"

Billy laughed.

"It's no wonder they left it behind," he said.

I smiled and turned around to lean against the bookcase. Billy stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned his shoulder against it.

"So, are you okay?" Billy asked, trying to make casual conversation.

I nodded.

"I'm fine now," I replied.

Billy smiled.

"I guess that was one hell of an energy you ran into," he said.

I smiled at Billy.

"Yeah, she was strong. I'm not sure if she was doing it to be doing it or if she really wanted me to know. If someone is evil in life, would they be evil in death?"

Billy shrugged.

"So far, that's been the case, but you gotta remember, she was still a mom. It makes sense that she would be upset and trying to find her son in death," he said.

I nodded.

"Hey, um, guys?" Jay asked tentatively.

Billy and I looked over at Jay's eyes peering up from behind a screen.

"You two need to come look at this," he said.

I followed Billy back over to the monitors and peered at the screen over Jay's shoulder.

"I have no idea what's going on, but Zak has been standing there shaking for a good 15 seconds or so," Jay said.

The screen was divided into fours, receiving feed from four different static night-vision cameras scattered throughout the mansion. On the bottom right of the screen Jay was seated in front of was a camera pointed at Aaron and Zak's backsides. Aaron was looking around in the dark with his camera, trying to see if he could catch anything. Zak, however, was staring at the floor, his hands shaking like the unsteady hands of an elderly person.

"Oh, shit," I murmured.

"Where are they at?" Billy asked.

"That's the torture room. Aaron is doing and EVP session and Zak is, or was, doing thermal, but I don't see the camera now. He must have set it down," Jay explained.

I reached for a walkie-talkie and pulled it towards me.

"This is dangerous. There is a ton of weapons in there still," Billy said.

"Are you serious?" Jay asked worriedly.

Billy nodded.

"Let's call him. Trick him into getting out of there for a minute," I suggested.

"You can't. He doesn't have a walkie on him. When he came back for a break, he took it off," Billy said.

"Why the hell would he do that?" I asked.

"Yeah. Zak never goes without one," Jay said.

Billy shrugged. I watched the screen closely. Zak's shaking got worse. Aaron wasn't paying attention, and he couldn't see Zak without his camera. If there was a spirit in there, its only easily accessible energy source was Aaron's equipment. If his camera went dead, or even his flashlight, he was blind. That was too risky. Aaron, though strong in his own right, was no match for Zak. He was not a fighter. He could never attack Zak back, even in a life or death situation. He could never have done what Billy did in Romania, backhanding Zak across the face. Aaron cared too much and held too high respect for Zak. If Zak wanted to attack Aaron, he was in some serious trouble.  
Zak suddenly reached up and ripped the respirator mask off of his face.

"Shit! What's he doing?" Billy asked.

Zak chucked the mask across the room. On the monitor's speakers, you can hear pieces of plastic breaking on the hard floor. He finally caught Aaron's attention, though.

"He doesn't look right," Billy said fearfully.

I had seen video and experienced Zak under the influence of a dark energy, but this seemed way different. He looked distant, and slightly nervous. Zak was never nervous, or at least showed that he was nervous, on a lockdown. Something was indeed very wrong.

"Bro, what's wrong with you?" Aaron asked.

Zak took a step towards and Aaron, causing Aaron to jump back and out of frame of the X-cam. Zak looked scared. His eyes, though different in night-vision, looked pleadingly at Aaron. I knew then that Aaron was in trouble.

"Mikey, let's go," Billy said, handing me a walkie-talkie and a flashlight.

"Guys, he'll get sick real easily in that room. There's no air flow at all," Jay said.

Billy took off running for the library doors, me on his heels.

"We're on it!" I called over my shoulder.

Billy and I took off running down the hallway and into the great room. We had to tackle two flights of stairs, and I was out of breath by the time I reached the top of the first step. I dreaded the second flight.

"Nick, come in, bro!" Billy called through his walkie-talkie.

"'Sup, Bill?" Nick replied.

"Get to the torture room, ASAP! Something is wrong with Zak," Billy said.

"I'm on it!" Nick replied.

Billy and I tackled the second set of stairs and ran down hallway after hallway. The maze of hallways was confusing, and I began having flashbacks of Winchester Mystery House. Then, I heard the little girl's voice again.

"_Michael, save him. Michael, save him_."

I wasn't sure if it was my imagination or not. My heart was beating hard in my ears and I couldn't focus on anything but getting to Zak.  
Billy and I ran up a small flight of stairs at the end of the hall to a set of huge wooden doors. When I saw the doors, I stopped. Something was weird about them. For some reason, they scared me.

"Mikey, let's go!" Billy shouted at me.

I was only broken from my trance when I heard a scream-Zak's scream.

Xxx  
**Zak's Point of View**

I had wondered what I had gotten myself into when Aaron and I walked up to the doors of the mansion's infamous Torture Room. I kept on telling myself that this was all a big coincidence, but I should have known better. When I began to feel weird and short of breath, I should have ran for the hills. When I looked up and saw red eyes and fanged, canine teeth behind Aaron, I knew I was fucked.  
A massive dog like being, hiding in the shadows behind Aaron, growled at me. I tried to speak, but I had no voice. I couldn't even move!

"Bro, what's wrong with you?" Aaron asked, scared.

In my head, a dark energy moved in. I closed my eyes and tried to mentally fight it off.

"_Kill_," came an echoing growl, "_Kill_"

A force that was not me caused me to lunge for Aaron. In fear, Aaron jumped away from me. I looked up pleadingly at Aaron.

"_Aaron, you've known me long enough to tell when I'm in trouble. Please, help me_," I thought.

The dog-like creature growled, his teeth in a Cheshire grin. He appeared out of the shadows and prowled right passed Aaron. When I realized that he was only visible to me, I tried to break from this state of immobility. The creature crouched and pounced for me. It was then the bond that was holding my feet to the floor was broken. I had no time to run, though.  
I screamed as the creature grasped my neck with its teeth, bearing down and breaking the skin. I felt like I had a lion on my neck. The creature slammed me to the floor on my back. I could no longer see as it began to pound away at me, just like the demons at Sedamsville Rectory. I tried to grab at it and attack back, but as soon as my fingers touched its oily fur, pain like no other shot through my arms. I begged for Aaron to help me, but what could he do? Relief was only found when the sound of the doors slamming open echoed throughout the room.

"Zak!" I heard Michael shout.

Oh, thank God, Michael!

Xxx  
Billy and I opened the doors to see Aaron frozen in his spot and Zak writhing and screaming on the floor.

"Zak!" I shouted and took off for him.

Billy ran after me, and not two second after that, Nick burst through the door. I flew down to Zak's side and grasped his face in my hands. His thrashing and bloodcurdling screams ceased. His eyes flew up and he sat straight up, bursting out in a coughing fit. I helped him sit up as he hacked and wheezed, trying to catch his breath.

"Here, give him my mask," I heard Nick say.

I turned my head and Billy handed me Nick's mask.

"Michael," Zak whispered.

"Shh, Zak. Don't talk. Put this on," I said.

Zak shakily took the mask and I helped him put the rubber bands over his head.

"Michael, look!" Nick shouted, "There it goes!"

I looked up to see Nick pointing to a dark shadow sliding across the floor. I reached up and grabbed Billy's arm.

"Help him. I'm going after it," I said.

Billy got down on his knees as I scrambled up.

"Get it, Mikey!" Nick encouraged.

As I took off running, the shadow moved faster.

"Michael!" I heard Zak struggle to shout, but it was too late.

I was gone! Around the corner and down a hallway with a hole in the ceiling. The being, whatever it was, disappeared into the ground.

"Come back here, you son of a bitch!" I shouted, "I've had it with your shit!"

Nothing but silence and the faint sounds of the boys' voices.

"Show yourself!" I shouted.

Nothing. I waited a total of five seconds before running back the way I came. I hurried back into the Torture Room. Zak was sitting in the floor with his head hanging and Nick was bent over speaking to him. I ran up to Zak and fell to my knees beside him. My sudden rush in had accidentally startled him, but when his eyes met mine, he threw his arms around me and held me tightly. I then pulled away and cupped his jaw. Zak pulled his mask down so I could understand him.

"Are you okay? What did it do to you?" I asked frantically.

"It was a dog," he croaked out.

"What?" I exclaimed.

Zak coughed hard into the bend of his arm.

"He said it was a demonic dog-like creature. Came out of nowhere," Nick said.

"It was huge!" Zak said, then cleared his throat before continuing, "It came out behind Aaron, growled at me, and then jumped and grabbed me by the neck with its teeth. I could've sworn it broke the skin."

I pulled his mask over his head and examined both sides of his neck. All I saw were scars from old scratches. Nothing new.

"I don't see anything," I said.

Zak reached up and touched his neck where the creature had bit him. When he brought his hand down and looked at his fingers, there was nothing.

"I felt it, though! It hurt so bad," he said.

I bit my lip and looked away from Zak. I had never heard him sound so hurt and scared. He sounded like a scared little boy.

"They're trying to fuck with you, bro," Nick said.

"They just want to drive you insane," I said quietly.

Zak looked at me, his face taking on a more strict expression.

"They're out to kill me, Michael," he said.

I was shocked.

"Zak, don't say that," I said.

Zak's bottom lip trembled and he ducked his head into my shoulder to hide his face from the guys and anything else that was watching. I held his head against me, much like Nick had done to me when I had to get stitches in my arm, and kissed his forehead.

"They want me dead," he whimpered.

I pulled Zak into a hug. His long, heavy arms wrapped tightly around me.

"They can't have you," I said, rubbing circles in his back.

Zak replied with a sniff. The boys couldn't see it, but hot tears were slipping down the back of my neck.  
I looked up at Aaron.

"Did he get the full-spec photography done?" I asked.

Aaron shrugged.

"I know he got this room and the halls. I think he was going to do the lab next," he replied.

I nodded.

"What time is it?" I asked.

Nick turned his wrist over and looked at his watch.

"It's about 4:10. 4:11-ish," he replied.

"Okay. Hey, Billy?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Can you take him back to base?" I asked, pointing down at Zak.

"Sure," Billy said.

"I'll cover for him. Help you guys wrap up the lockdown," I said.

Aaron smiled at me.

"Thanks, Mikey," Nick said.

Zak pulled away from me and wiped his cheeks. He was no longer shaking, and some color had come back into his face, though, it could have been from crying.

"Go with Billy, sweetie," I said softly.

Zak tucked his feet under him in preparation to stand. I stood up and held onto his arm to help him. Nick came to the other side and put an arm around Zak. We helped Zak to his feet. I made sure the soles of his shoes were planted before I began to let go of him. Zak was bent at his waist, and as he tried to straighten up, he hissed sharply through his teeth and let go of Nick to clutch his side.

"Okay, okay, okay. Hang on a second," I said.

I moved in front of Zak as Nick held him up. Slowly, I lifted the hem of Zak's t-shirt.

"Aaron, shine your flashlight over here," I said.

"_Please, don't let there be blood_," I prayed.

Aaron shined his flashlight on a red mark the size of my fist, which was beginning to turn purple.

"Oh, dude! They're everywhere!" Aaron exclaimed.

I lifted Zak's shirt up, revealing darkening bruises of various sizes littered all over his torso.

"Damn," I muttered.

"It beat the living shit out of me. It was as if it had human fists made out of lead or something," Zak said.

I pulled his shirt back down.

"That must be that same entity that got you at the Rectory," Nick said to Zak.

"What?" Aaron exclaimed, pissed, "I thought you got rid of it!"

Zak could only reply with a shrug. He was too drained.

"We thought so, too," I said.

"It was just hiding...waiting," Zak said.

"Well, we'll get down to the bottom of it. Right now, you need to go rest. Billy," I said.

Nick slid out from under Zak's arm, leaving him to stand on his own. Zak turned away from Billy and hugged me tightly.

"Thank-you," he whispered.

I held the side of his face and kissed him deeply.

"You're welcome, Zak," I replied.

Zak kissed my hairline.

"I love you so much," he said.

"I love you, too. Now, go with Billy," I said.

Billy came over to Zak side. Zak handed me the full-spec camera and turned away. Nick, Aaron and I watched on worriedly as Billy and Zak left the Torture Room.

"I'm really worried about him now, Mikes," Nick said.

"Me, too," I said quietly.

"Let's hurry and finish so we can take him back to the hotel," Aaron suggested.

With that, I took Nick's camera and we followed him out of the Torture Room.

Xxx

"Ow, fuck! Ouch, ouch, ouch, Mikey. It hurts!"

"What hurts?" I asked.

"Everything," he said breathlessly.

"Well, just relax," I said.

I was sitting cross-legged at the head of our bed in the hotel room with Zak stretched out in front of me, his shoulders in my lap and his head resting in the crook of my left arm.

"Nick, where's that ice?" I asked.

Nick came out of the bathroom with a small towel full of ice that he got from the machine downstairs. He handed the handmade ice pack to me.

"What hurts the most?" I asked Zak.

"My neck," he replied.

I gently pressed the icy towel to his neck. Zak winced, but soon relaxed as the pain numbed.

"You don't think we should take him to the hospital, do you?" Aaron asked worriedly.

He was sitting in a chair beside the bed, watching his best friend with sad eyes. He looked like a dog when you leave them behind.

"They won't believe us," Zak grumbled.

"Let's just see how he does throughout the day," Nick suggested.

"If I get worse, I'll go," Zak said.

I stroked his cheek with my thumb. He looked worse than I had ever seen him. His face was gaunt, with bags under his usually bright eyes. I could see little wrinkles from stress beginning to decorate his face. I hated what this was doing to him. The demons were getting what they wanted.

"What I would like to know is why this thing goes away when I touch him. Why is it scared of me?" I asked.

"It goes away?" Nick asked.

"Immediately," Zak said, "I don't even feel darkness when she's with me. It's strange."

"Maybe it's scared of you, Mikey, because you know what true evil is," Aaron spoke up.

I tilted my head to the side.

"It's a coward," Nick said, his arms crossed over his chest and this severely stern look on his face.

Zak reached up for the ice pack and moved it down to his stomach.

"That's why it's scared of her?" Aaron asked Nick.

I rolled my eyes. Zak nuzzled his head into me and I looked down at him.

"Like I'm so terrifying," I murmured.

"Whatever is after Zak is only after him for revenge. That's all this is about. Michael, you've seen true horrors in your life. You've been treated like shit, disowned, beaten, stabbed, and you've known the loss of your own child-something no woman should have to go through," Nick said.

I closed my eyes and groaned.

"Nick, don't remind me," I said.

My request went ignored.

"It has left your soul hardened. It has made you strong and it is the reason they're scared of you," Nick said.

Aaron looked up at me and sighed.

"It's like he says," Aaron said, pointed to Zak with his thumb, "Every demon is nothing but a bully, and bullies are nothing but cowards."

Zak let out a small chuckle. I looked down to see him slowly open his eyes.

"You learn well, grasshopper," Zak said to Aaron.

Aaron smiled at his friend. Zak reached a weak arm out and fist bumped Aaron. I smiled at seeing Aaron's spirits lift. It was heartwarming to see how much the boys cared for their lead investigator.

"Hey, Aaron?" Zak asked.

"What, bro?" Aaron asked.

Zak turned onto his side to face Aaron, propping himself up on an elbow.

"Do you have a Mel Meter on you?" he asked out of the blue.

"No, not on me," Aaron replied, then got scared, "Why? Is it in here?"

Zak shook his head.

"I have an idea. Can you go grab one?" Zak asked.

Aaron quickly stood up.

"Sure thing, man," he said.

I looked down at Zak and raised an eyebrow at him. He just smiled at me.

"Oh! I think I know what you're doing!" Nick said excitedly.

Zak smiled at him.

"The lady at the Palmer House," Zak said.

Nick smiled and nodded.

"What? Do you think I have something in me?" I asked, recalling the lady who made the Mel Meter goes nuts when she held it.

Zak looked up at me.

"That's what I would like to know," he said.

I sighed and shook my head.

Aaron returned shortly with a Mel Meter and walked over to hand it to Zak.

"Film this, Nick," Zak said.

Nick pulled out his cell phone and began to record a video. Zak turned on the Mel Meter. He gave me a mischievous look before waving the antennae over me.

"Nothing," Aaron said.

"Damn!" Zak said.

"Dude, let her hold it," Nick said.

Zak handed me the Mel Meter. I cringed as I wrapped my hands around it. I feared it would start freaking out, but was relieved when it remained silent.

"Thank God!" I breathed.

"Well, it's not something we can scientifically explain," Nick concluded.

I handed the Mel Meter to Zak. However, as Zak wrapped his hand around it, the thing started going off, hurting my ears.

"What. The. Fuck!" Aaron exclaimed.

I quickly let go of the piece of equipment and it quit.

"Holy shit!" Zak exclaimed, "Take it again."

As I took the Mel Meter again, it beeped for a split second. When Zak let go, it stopped.

"Hold on a sec!" Aaron said, jumping to his feet, "Mikey hold it near the top."

I slid the device down my hand, holding it over the screen.

"Okay, now. Zak, hold the bottom part," Aaron said.

Zak did as he was told, but nothing happened.

"Wait!" Nick exclaimed, "Zak, put your hand over Michael's."

Zak lifted his hand and wrapped it around mine. The Mel Meter lit up again, squealing loud enough to wake the dead. Zak and I looked at each other in shock. Aaron's jaw dropped. Nick, however, looked accomplished.

"You guys have bonded energies," he said.

Zak let go of my hand and it quit. He then took it again, touching the entire device, but it didn't start alarming until he touched my hand again. He then let go and I handed it back to him.

"Bonded energies?" Zak asked Nick incredulously.

"Yeah. Your energies have connected in some way that causes darkness to be repelled," Nick said.

"That's cool," Aaron said in amazement.

Zak looked up at me and smiled.

"We need to investigate this further," he said.

I smiled and watched as he sat up and cracked his back.

"We will, but first, you need to get some rest," I said.

"Yeah, dude. We have a five o' clock flight home," Nick said.

"I'll get some sleep in. Don't worry about me," Zak replied.

Nick smiled and leaned over to hug Zak.

"Love ya, bro," Nick said.

I felt warmth spread through my chest as I watched Nick, then Aaron hug Zak.

"We've got your back, bro," Aaron said.

"Both of you," Nick said.

Aaron moved over to hug me.

"You two aren't fighting this without us," he said.

This made Zak and I smile.

"Thanks, bro," he said.

"We'll find a way to destroy it," Nick reassured him.

Aaron patted Zak on the shoulder.

"You get some sleep. We'll see you two this afternoon," he said.

Zak smiled and nodded at him. Nick took Zak's ice pack and tossed it in the bathroom sink before leaving with Aaron. Zak and I watched on as the boys left, leaving us in silence. I moved behind Zak and put my arms around his shoulders, laying my head above where his back tattoo was. Zak reached up and held my hands.

"I just wish I knew how to destroy it," he said softly.

I looked up at him. He was clearly upset. I moved my legs under me to make myself higher and rested my chin on his shoulder.

"We'll find a way, Zak. It doesn't know our secret," I said.

Zak turned his head to look at me with his peripheral vision and smiled. I kissed his neck and held him tightly. I laid my head on his shoulder, feeling his warmth on my cheek. Never did I want that warmth to leave him and his body turn cold at the hands of a demon.

"I promise," I whispered.


	23. Partners in Crime

I kept a close eye on Zak that morning. Sleep was not an option for me, even though I felt like I could hibernate for days. I forced myself to stay up, though. I wanted to make sure that Zak did not get worse. If he did, I wanted to be up as soon as there was a change so I could call the guys and get him to a hospital. I did not what our excuse would be for the nurse when she saw Zak's bruises, but I'm sure we could figure one out that would not prompt the police to come in and check him out.  
Zak was being stubborn all morning-or at least, that is what I thought at first. After he managed to get changed into something more comfortable, with a little bit of my help, he laid down in bed and tried to go to sleep. He kept telling me he wanted to stay up, but I told him repeatedly that he needed his rest. I knew even just a small nap would make him feel better. His energy was almost gone, but he would not sleep. He was exhausted, though. Every ten to fifteen minutes, his eyes would shut on their own and he would jump awake again. I watched him do this as I cleaned up a little and changed into my sleepwear. I watched the pain and frustration cross his face every time he forced himself awake. I wished there was something I could do, but I had no idea what.  
I climbed up into bed and sat at the foot, watching him and making sure his chest continued to rise and fall. I watched for a little while, hoping he had finally crashed, but as soon as I hoped, he jerked back awake. That is when I realized that he was not being stubborn, but he was scared. He had nightmares all the time, and it suddenly dawned on me that this is why he would not go to sleep. He was too scared to.  
Zak rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. I crawled over to him and laid down beside him. Zak turned his head and looked at me. I put my hand on his cheek.

"Zak, please try and get some sleep," I pleaded.

He said nothing, but the fear was written on his face.

"It's okay. I'll be right here when you wake up. Go to sleep," I said softly.

Zak closed his eyes tightly and tilted his head down to touch his forehead to mine. His breathing hooked a little, and I could tell he about to lose it again.

"Shh," I said and kissed him.

His breathing went back to normal. He turned his head away from me and a few seconds later, he was asleep. I sat up and reached down for the covers, pulling them over both of us. As I looked back down at Zak, I noticed something horrifying. On his neck was a giant purple and black bruise in almost a crescent shape. It was beginning to swell, a red blotches surrounded it from where blood vessels had been broken. He had not been kidding when he said his neck hurt.  
I gently touched my fingertips to the nasty bruise. If this was really the result of a bite from a demonic dog creature, then the other side of his neck had to match. I took a shaky breath and laid my head down on his chest. How dare they do this to him! Why? What had he done to deserve this? Sure, in the past he had provoked and intentionally pissed off demonic and dark entities in locations, but he did not even do anything to this one. It was not fair!  
I buried my face in his t-shirt and tried not to cry, but it happened anyway. I wanted to help him-to save him. I just didn't know how. What had the spirit of the little girl meant? What was Aunt Patch talking about? I couldn't save him. I was no match for a demon. I was no angel in human form, sent by God to save Zak from his demons. I was nothing. Zak, however, was everything. I felt cursed. I had lost almost everyone, and it seemed as if something was trying to take Zak away from me as well. I could not let that happen, but I didn't know what to do.  
I scooted my cheek against his chest to wipe away a tear that had stopped dead on its slide down my face. I absently rubbed my thumb back and forth against his chest. I let my thoughts wander off, going back to the beginning-to a time where I was just getting used to Zak. Zak had this strong presence, and I immediately felt it when I first met him. When I first looked at him, I wondered what the hell I had gotten myself into. He was a big, intimidating person. Little did I know that he would end up being the sweetest, most loving person I had ever met. That thought alone brought huge tears to my eyes. They raced down my cheeks and onto his shirt. I was so scared of losing him. Zak was first and foremost my best friend, and I couldn't imagine this world without him. Not after all we have been through.  
I remembered a time, back in the late summer after I started working on the Ghost Adventures Crew. Zak was always near me. He would sit beside me. Talk with me. Keep me company when I was being quiet and unsociable. For some reason, I felt better with him around, and now I understood why. It took maybe a month and a half, but Zak finally began to grow on me. In the beginning, I hung out with Aaron all the time, but Zak quickly slipped in and never went away. I don't remember what it was that we seemed to bond over (at the time, I had no idea he had a crush on me either), but Zak and I seemed to connect instantaneously.  
There was one night I was sleeping in my hotel room-or, trying to sleep that is. We had done interviews and a walkthrough that day. Afterwards, we did some sight-seeing, Aaron and I disobeyed Zak and did things we shouldn't have. Aaron got punished, but I got off with a warning. Although, it wasn't really a warning as much as it was Zak eyeing me accusingly and then shaking his head and inviting me to go have some fun with him. Anyway, one night, we had just returned from dinner and were all off in our rooms. It was late, around midnight or so. I had the blog done and some pictures ready to go. I had gotten in the habit of getting everything done immediately and leaving myself with nothing to do on lockdown nights. This was before Billy invited me to help him with monitors so I would have something to do.  
I was laying in my bed listening to the air conditioner kick on and off. I wanted to sleep, but every time I closed my eyes, I would feel more awake than I had all day. I tossed and turned for an hour before I heard my phone go off. I rolled over to pick it up and saw that I had a text message from Zak. Figuring it was just a memo of what the plan was for lockdown day, I opened it and scanned over the words. I expected this long, drawn out message with times for when things were happening and meeting locations, but I was surprised to find something very different. It was definitely not a mass text message.

"_Are u up?_"

I stared at the text for a minute, my brain not really processing what I was reading. I wondered if maybe he had sent the text to the wrong person. Maybe it was meant to go to the guys, or perhaps a girlfriend, or maybe even his mom. I replied anyway.

"_Yeah. I can't sleep._"

I didn't have to wait long for his reply. As I pressed the button to open the message, I prayed that it didn't say "Sorry. That was for someone else." or something. However, it didn't say that at all.

"_Me neither. Aaron is next door to me and he snores so loud! You wanna come over and hang out for a little bit?_"

I smiled at that. Poor guy was probably just bored and lonely. Since I couldn't sleep anyway, I decided that going to hang out couldn't hurt.

"_Sure. What room are you in?_"

"_237_."

I set my phone back down and got up. I threw my messy hair into a bun, pulled on a hoodie, then slipped my phone into the front pocket with my key card and left the room for Zak's. When I arrived, his door was ajar. I knocked anyway and pushed my head inside. I was nervous about doing this, but I knew Zak wouldn't hurt me. I just had trust issues that I would have to overcome sometime.  
Zak looked up from his laptop and smiled at me.

"Hey, Mikes," he said cheerfully.

"Hey," I replied and slipped inside.

I was wearing the frumpiest sleepwear, my hair was a mess, and I had on no makeup, but at the time I didn't care. Zak didn't either, apparently. He was just glad he had some company.  
That night, Zak Bagans became my best friend. I feared this little hang-out would be awkward, but it was far from it. We seemed to be able to find something to make a lively conversation out of. Zak was one of those people that liked to talk and get into detail about things. The boys got sick of hearing his stories, but they were all new to me. I was so used to hearing long, drawn out stories about people from my Aunt Patch, for she was a talker, too, so listening to Zak was no problem. Except, I actually listened to everything Zak said. I also found that we had a lot in common. We talked a lot about his interests or thoughts on certain things, but he had a habit of turning it back on me. Zak was an interesting person, and I was always wanting to learn more about him, but he always seemed more focused on me.  
We spent two or three hours talking about everything and nothing before both of us were having trouble keeping our eyes open. We then said goodnight and let each other get some shut-eye, but after that night, we had several more little midnight hang-outs. It was fun for me, and we quickly developed a bond. We became close after that.  
There was another time where we were driving south through a flat, grassy area of the States. Now, I don't remember where. I just remember miles and miles of farmland. The sun was setting. Billy was driving, Nick was in the front seat, and I was sitting in the middle of Aaron and Zak. Zak usually sat in the front seat, but he had recently started sitting with me in the back. Not that I minded at all. He would sit there with his earbuds in, humming or singing whatever was playing to himself. It was cute. On this evening, though, he was silent. He watched cattle pass by. The sun was shining right in on us. I was dead tired. I had just spent my first night on monitor duty, and I was not prepared for the crash I had that day. Aaron was sleeping beside me. I wanted to sleep, too, but I couldn't sleep sitting straight up. So, not even thinking about it or even caring, I laid my head on Zak's shoulder. He was so warm and he smelled nice. Some people just have their own smell, and Zak had that. It was comforting.  
I closed my eyes and nuzzled into his shoulder. I heard him chuckle and he put an arm around my shoulders, causing my head to slide close to his chest. He then laid his cheek on top of my head. I did think that it would be a little weird, but it turned out being no big deal at all. We were friends.  
I inhaled deeply, trying to catch my breath. I missed those times-times where I didn't have to worry much about the boys because they, Zak in particular, were always worried about me. I missed the days where all Zak had to protect me from was human. I just wanted to time travel, and not Zak's version either. I wanted to go back to our wedding day, to our first dance, to back to when he made me mini pizzas and stayed by my side when I was sick.  
Zak shifted under me. I looked up to make sure he was okay. When I confirmed he was, I laid my head back down. Now it was my turn to give back to him. I didn't know how, but I was going to do something-anything to free him from this.  
Later that evening, Nick and Aaron came by the room. Zak had slept for the majority of the day. I slept a little bit, but I was too worried about Zak to sleep for long. I stayed in the room all day, only leaving to use the restroom. I laid on Zak for hours watching TV or playing around on my laptop. I could not stay focused on anything, so I was glad when there was a knock on the door.  
I left Zak's side and got up to answer the door. I felt relief wash over me when I saw Nick and Aaron.

"Hey, guys," I said.

"Hey!" Nick said, "Have you guys eaten?"

I shook my head. I was starving, too. I had a bag of chips in my bag, but I kept putting off eating them.

"Well, Nick and Aaron have come to save the day," Aaron said.

"We figured you guys needed some comfort food," Nick said.

"Well, hell! Bring it on in!' I said, making them laugh.

Nick and Aaron brought in three bags of something delicious smelling.

"Let me wake Zak up," I said as the boys toted the bags over to a table Zak had already made a mess out of.

"Has he been out all day?" Nick asked.

"As far as I know. I dozed a couple of times, but when I woke up, he was still sleeping," I said.

Nick nodded.

"You look tired, Mikes," Aaron observed.

I sighed.

"I am tired. Being on Zak Watch is hard when you didn't sleep the night before," I replied.

"Well, you can get some sleep on the plane. I'll take over Zak Watch for you. Aaron and I got plenty of sleep, so we're good to go," Nick said.

"Would you? That would be awesome," I said.

Nick smiled.

"You can chill with me, Mikey," Aaron said, "We've hardly hung out since you got married."

I gave Aaron a smile.

"We can totally hang out, Aaron," I said.

Aaron clapped his hands together.

"Yay!" he said.

I laughed and walked over to the bed. Even with all of our talking, Zak was still out. I sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked his forehead.

"Zak," I said softly, "Zak, wake up."

Zak grunted.

"Zak, get up. Wake up, Precious."

Zak's eyes slowly opened. When his eyes found mine, he smiled and stretched.

"Good morning," I said jokingly.

"Hello, sweetie," he said sleepily.

"Are you hungry? Aaron and Nick brought food," I said.

Zak looked over at Aaron and Nick.

"What did you guys get?" he asked.

Nick pulled out a large styrofoam bowl and a packet of plastic cutlery. Aaron pulled out a white baggy of something else. Nick opened the bowl and Aaron plopped in this biscuit-like thing. Nick then walked over with the food. Zak sat up and winced. I hopped off of the bed and helped him sit up, propping pillows behind him so he wouldn't have to use much effort to sit up.

"Only the best beef stew on the planet," Nick said as he handed Zak the bowl.

Zak's eyes widened and a smile crept up on his face.

"No. Fucking. Way! You guys ran out to that little restaurant we went to a long time ago?" Zak asked in disbelief.

Nick smiled at him.

"Sure did, g," he said.

Zak opened up his packet and dug out a spoon. We waited until Zak took the first bite before we dug in to our own bowls. Zak scooped out a chunk of beef and put it in his mouth. He only had to chew once before his eyes rolled back into his head. Aaron, Nick and I laughed.

"Is it just like you remember?" Aaron asked.

Zak chewed and swallowed before speaking.

"Oh my God!" he moaned.

Nick and Aaron didn't notice, but I saw Zak's toes curl. Aaron and Nick giggled at him.

"Still amazing?" Nick asked.

Zak nodded.

"This is so good, guys! And the warmth is like, helping my bruises," he said.

Nick handed me a bowl and a packet of cutlery.

"You still pretty sore?" Nick asked.

"Oh, I will be for weeks," Zak replied and stuffed another spoonful into his mouth.

"Shit, Nick!" Aaron exclaimed, "We forgot drinks!"

Nick's eyes widened.

"I'll run downstairs and get some. What do you guys want?" Nick asked.

Zak pointed to the table, his mouth too full to talk. Nick had to wait for him to stop chewing and swallow.

"My wallet should be over there. Get Mikey and I something, please," Zak said.

Nick nodded and walked over to the table. Aaron dug his wallet out and handed Nick some cash.

"Will they take American money?" I asked.

Nick nodded.

"Yeah, we tried it earlier and it worked," he replied, "Zak, what do you want to drink?"

"Tea, please," he said.

"Mikes?" Nick asked.

"Water's fine," I said.

"What about you, bro?" Nick asked Aaron.

"Water," Aaron replied.

"'Kay. I'll be back in a minute," he said.

We were silent as Nick left. I sat down on the bed close to Zak. Aaron opened his bowl and inhaled deeply.

"Oh, that's heaven!" he moaned.

I smiled and started in on my bowl. It was pretty good. Definitely comfort food. It reminded me of my Grandma's cooking.

"You look tired, sweetie," Zak said.

I was looking down at my bowl as he reached up and stroked my cheek. I stirred my stew and closed my eyes. For some reason, his touch triggered my want to cry again. I knew I must have looked terrible, for I had cried nonstop for two hours while he slept.

"I stayed up," I replied, my voice crackling as I spoke.

I forced myself to look up at him up. He looked better, even though his neck looked terrible. I had to look away to keep myself from losing it.

"Kept an eye on you," I went on.

Zak sniffed and put his bowl down. He held his arm out for me. I crawled into him and hugged him with one arm, the other holding my stew.

"You sweet girl," he whispered.

He kissed my cheek and gave me a light squeeze. I slid down and curled up beside him. I resumed eating my food, but I wasn't that hungry anymore.

"Aaron, don't give me that look," Zak said.

"Sorry, dude. I'm just worried about you," Aaron said.

"Aaron, I'm going to be okay. You have to stay positive. That's the first step in fighting against a demon," Zak said.

I wished I was that positive.

Xxx  
**Las Vegas, NV**

It had been several days since the Ghost Adventures Crew returned home from England. Most members easily recovered from the lockdown and had fallen into their normal routines again. Aaron, however, was having a harder time falling back in to his nocturnal mode. He found that flying and switching times back and forth messed with his sleeping routine, and on this day, he found himself awake at 9:00 in the morning. He had been busy the night before working on a film he and his friends were working on, and also recording a podcast and getting Big Steppin orders shipped out. However, by midnight, he was too exhausted to do much more. He knew better than to push himself, though. He would just have to retrain himself to go to sleep at 5:00 in the morning and wake up at 3:00 in the afternoon all over again. To him, it sucked, but this gave him the opportunity to do what he usually didn't get to do, and that was hang out with Billy, Zak, and Michael.  
This morning, Aaron was driving to Zak's house. He had not seen either Bagans since they landed, and he wanted to check and see how they were doing. He had not heard a word out of Michael, which to him was strange. He and Michael texted each other almost every day. Zak, however, was up and about and had been texting Aaron off and on that morning. Deciding he was bored and he missed his friends, Aaron headed over to Zak and Michael's.  
When Aaron arrived, he parked beside Michael's truck and followed the concrete sidewalk around the side of the house. Out back, he could hear the sound of water flowing and calming electronic music and smell strong incense being burned.  
He walked up to the giant wooden gate and knocked.

"Come in!" he heard Zak call from the other side.

Aaron lifted the black metal latch and pushed the door open. Inside, Zak was relaxing on the patio, playing fetch with Gracie while eating blueberries and scratching Ernie behind the ears. Zak was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, so Aaron could see blue and purple peeking out. He felt bad for Zak, but Zak seemed to be in high spirits.

"Hey, bro," Aaron greeted.

"Hi, Aaron," Zak said cheerfully as he popped a blueberry into his mouth.

Aaron walked in under the patio to be greeted by Gracie. Aaron reached down and petted her head. In return, Gracie licked his hand before running off into the bamboo Zak had growing around his back fence. Aaron looked down at Ernie, who was laying down with his head on his paws.

"Oh, I see how it is, Ernie," Aaron said jokingly to the Basset Hound.

Ernie groaned in response and rolled over onto his side. Zak smiled at the dog and looked up at Aaron.

"You're looking better, bro," Aaron said as he sat into a wicker chair next to Zak.

Zak offered Aaron a blueberry. Aaron took a few out of the plastic box and put all of them into his mouth.

"Yeah, the swelling has gone down a lot," Zak said, then rubbing his neck, "I've been using this scar fader Mikey was using after her surgery."

Aaron nodded. Zak's neck was not completely healed, but the red blotches had disappeared and some of the purple was turning yellow, indicating healing.

"Have you been doing okay?" Aaron asked.

Zak nodded.

"No residual after effects or anything?" Aaron asked.

Zak shook his head.

"Not since the house was cleansed," he replied.

"Oh, you had that done? I hope you didn't have the same priest come in who _tried_ to help you the first time," Aaron said.

"Oh, hell no! No, I called Stella. Had her drive out here," Zak replied.

"Is that that Romanian woman?" Aaron asked as he reached for another blueberry.

"Yeah. She's a cleanser. She came in and did a pretty thorough job. She said she didn't sense anything dark in the house, but she went through and did a sweep anyway. She did sense it on me, though," Zak explained.

"Oh?" Aaron asked.

"She felt a darkness on me. She said it was buried pretty deep, so she did this small ritual with Michael and I. It was not a permanent solution, though. She said that if a priest who is skilled in exorcisms could not help me, then I would have to figure something out," Zak said.

"Well, what about what the little girl told you? You know, about Michael being able to save you?" Aaron asked.

"I mentioned that, actually. I also told her about what Nick said. You know, about the energy connection, and Stella said that that's exactly what it was that was keeping me safe. We just have to find out how to use it to our advantage," Zak said.

"You two do have a strong relationship. You're lucky, bro," Aaron said.

"Hey, what about you and your girlfriend, g?" Zak asked.

Aaron just smiled shyly.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought," Zak said and smiled.

"Let's talk about something else," Aaron said.

Zak laughed.

"Fine," he said.

"How's Mikey?" Aaron asked.

Zak's face fell. Aaron grew immediately concerned.

"Is she okay?" Aaron asked worriedly.

Zak sat forward and put his box of blueberries down.

"I think she's just recovering from the trip," Zak said.

"Still?" Aaron asked.

Zak looked confused.

"I mean, she usually doesn't take very long to bounce back. Well, I guess there was that one time on one of her first lockdowns," Aaron said.

"There is no telling how long it actually takes her to come back," Zak said, "I mean, that time I sat her down and talked to her. I had to make sure she wasn't planning on quitting on us. Not only that, but I didn't like seeing her hurt. You didn't see her-how broken she was and everything."

"Is that how she's acting now?" Aaron asked.

"Well, sort of. At first, she just seemed tired. I mean, both of us were. Yesterday, though, she just seemed really distant. She wasn't herself, that's for sure," Zak said.

"Like, how?" Aaron asked.

Zak shrugged. He absently stared at smoke rising from an incense stick as he spoke.

"Well, usually she's up and about. She'll get her chores done early. We'll make lunch together and talk. Sometimes we'll split off and work, but I had just planned on having some us time, you know? Yesterday morning, I got up and came downstairs and found Mikey curled up in a ball on the couch watching, um, I think it was _The Golden Girls_. She just had this blank look on her face. She wasn't even laughing. She just looked like a zombie."

Aaron's eyes widened.

"She did that I my house when she stayed over. Back when you two weren't talking, you know? Except, she had that _Roseanne_ show playing and she was watching _Ghost Adventures_ on her laptop. That's when I knew I _had_ to get her out of the house," Aaron said.

"I know, dude! Do you know how many times I tried to get her to do something with me? I asked if she wanted to go take the dogs to play at the park. She said no. I asked her if she wanted to go to the lake. She said no. I even asked if she wanted to go to my Mom's. She had called and asked if Mikey and I wanted to go to dinner with her and my step-dad, and Mikey said no. I just let her be after that. But I remember Patch saying something about Michael getting into isolation and not coming out. I guess it's her defense mechanism-to shut down."

"G, you can't let her do that! If she's not in high spirits, how the hell is she going to be able to help you when the time comes?" Aaron asked, the pitch of his voice rising with his frustration.

Zak propped his elbow on the arm of his chair. Aaron frowned. He felt bad for both Zak and Michael.

"Well, if nothing else works, I would think that she would at least want you there to comfort her. I mean, you've always been there for her. You are her rock, bro. I know back when things were happening with me and my ex-wife after Bobby Mackey's, she would get scared and I did everything I could to comfort her. I would stay up with her for hours. Maybe all Michael needs is just you. Your energies are bonded, so maybe your presence alone could help her out. In any case, it would make her feel better. Maybe giving her space is not the right thing to do," Aaron said.

Zak nodded thoughtfully. He knew that it worked that way with him. Thinking back to before they were even together, Michael seemed to open up more to him more than Aaron or Nick. Maybe Aaron was right.

"Where is she, by the way?" Aaron asked.

Zak sighed.

"Last time I checked, she was still in bed," he replied.

Aaron's eyes bugged out in surprise.

"Still? She usually never sleeps in late. I mean, it's almost ten now, but still," Aaron said.

"I know. She went to bed early last night, too. She usually doesn't start to get ready for bed until about two in the morning. Some times midnight or early, but it's usually really late. She came through last night around 8:45 and announced she was going to bed. I guess I should have went with her and talked to her," Zak said.

"Well, you know Mikey better than I do, but I still think you should check on her. Something is bothering her," Aaron said.

Zak nodded.

"I brought some evidence over that Billy sent me. Why don't I go check it out while you go talk to her?" Aaron suggested.

Zak nodded and stood, picking up his blueberry box as he did. He and Aaron walked inside the kitchen. Aaron headed through the living room and down the hall to the man cave. Zak put his blueberries back into the refrigerator and made his way down the hall to the stairs.

Xxx

I rolled over onto my side and pulled the comforter up to my chin. I had been rolling from one side to the other for about an hour now. I needed to get up, but I couldn't make myself leave the bed. I wasn't tired. I had plenty of sleep. I just didn't see the reason to get up, and my thoughts wouldn't let me.  
Outside the door, I could hear feet making their way up the metal staircase. Moments later, the door opened and there was a soft knock on the wood. I turned my head to see Zak poking his head in.

"Good morning, Mikey," he said softly.

I sighed and looked back down. I listened as Zak entered and approached my side of the bed. He sat down at the edge and placed a hand on my arm.

"What's been going on, huh?" he asked.

"Nothing," I replied.

Zak wrapped an arm around me and nuzzled his face into my neck. I just closed my eyes, trying to keep myself from getting upset.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" he asked.

I had to bury my face in my pillow to keep myself from crying. Really, I didn't know what was wrong with me. I guess I was just in a funk. An unexplainable funk...

"Nothing," I mumbled into the pillows.

Zak sighed and pushed himself up on all fours. He climbed over me and lay down to face me. I kept my eyes down as he held a palm to my cheek.

"Michael, talk to me. I wanna know what's wrong," he pleaded.

The tone of his voice almost made me lose it.

"I'm just...worried. And...scared," I slowly admitted.

Zak scooted closer to me and scooped me up.

"Of what?" he asked.

"I just, um...ever since the lockdown, I've been trying to think of a way to save you, and I can't. I keep hearing that little girl's voice in my head. I keep hearing Patch's voice. Zak, I don't know what to do or even what I'm doing! What if I screw around and it ends up being too late?"

Zak sighed and pulled me into a hug.

"We keep almost losing you, Zak," I went on, "If we actually do, it's going to be my fault and-"

"Michael, stop it. You're not going to lose me, okay? We're going to fight this and we're going to beat this. Why didn't you tell me that this is what was upsetting you?" Zak asked.

I sniffed and buried my face into his bruised neck.

"I just wanted to figure it out myself. I thought that I may have overlooked something. I thought the answers were right in front of my face," I said.

"Mikey, you know you don't have to do this alone. You have me. You have the entire Crew. I know you like to do things by yourself, but Michael..."

I looked up at Zak. I took one of my hands and held it tightly.

"We have something the demons don't. They don't know our secret. They won't tear us apart. No fucking way," Zak said softly.

For the first time in awhile, I was able to push a smile on my face.

"We'll find a way before it's too late. We can do this, okay?"

Zak pulled the hand up that he was holding and kissed my knuckles. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Feel better?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"A little," I replied.

Zak sat up. I slowly followed.

"Let's go out and have some fun today. Aaron's over. Let's go take the dogs out to the lake and just waste this day. How long has it been since we just had fun all day?" Zak asked.

I shrugged. Zak pulled me into a hug and kissed my cheek.

"I love you, sweetie," Zak said.

"Love you, too," I said.

Zak kissed me passionately, causing my spirits to lift a tad more. Zak smirked and scooted off of the foot of the bed. He then turned and grabbed me by the ankles, yanking me down to him.

"Zak!" I laughed.

"Let's go, kiddo. I wanna go play," he said.

Zak reached down and tickled my sides, making me scream.

"I'm getting up! I'm getting up!" I shouted.

Zak smiled and reached down to hug me. I pulled him down with me, causing him to fall over beside me. We just laid there and laughed, but we didn't get up for awhile.  
I laid there and watched Zak as he watched me. He looked so happy for someone who was constantly haunted by demons.

"How do you do it?" I asked as I reached out and brushed my fingertips against his face.

"How do I do what?" he asked.

"Not crumble? After years of this kind of bullshit?" I asked as gently ran my fingers over his neck.

"I have before," I said quietly, but then his brightened up, "but there's someone with me now that makes this bullshit worth while."

I laughed.

"How cheesy, Zak," I commented.

Zak playfully nudged me. I just smiled and studied his gorgeous face. I was reminded of our late night hang-outs in hotel rooms, and how we agreed we would always be partners in crime. I had forgotten about those times. I knew then that I would never be able to get rid of Zak, and somehow now I knew that he would be around for a very long time. I worry about nothing sometimes.

Xxx  
**Late afternoon  
The lake**

"Are you in there with your shoes on?" Aaron asked in disbelief.

"Hell yeah!" I answered, "I'm not cutting my foot open on piece of metal or something!"

"Michael, it's sand. It's all sand over here," Zak said.

"I don't care," I said.

"You're going to get sand all in the floorboards and your going to track it all through the house," he said.

I shook my head and looked up at Aaron.

"He's worse than any woman, I swear!" I said jokingly.

"Shut up!" Zak retorted.

Aaron and I laughed as Zak went back to his fishing. He hadn't caught anything, but he was still trying. Aaron and I were wading in the water with Ernie and Gracie. Aaron was throwing one of Gracie's toys out so she could swim out and get it. I had to hold Ernie. He wasn't used to anything other than the aluminum washtub I used to bath him in. This huge lake was new for him. At first, he was scared of it. However, after watching Gracie dive in and out, he got up the courage to plow right into the water. The thing was, the poor dog was too heavy to swim. His stubby little legs and fat belly caused him to go under first thing. Zak had to go in after him. I really thought he had a dead dog on our hands.  
So, Aaron and I resorted to escorting Ernie, putting the dog on a leash so if he did go under, we could at least drag him out. Ernie was having a blast though. He would stand and stare into the water, watching little fish and lake debris rush under him, then back out. If I had not been so scared of getting one of my cameras wet, I would have taken a million pictures.  
Ernie waddled over near Zak, sniffing the water as we went. Zak was ankle deep in the water waiting on a bite.

"I don't think this is the best time of year for fishing, bro," Aaron said.

I looked around. There was hardly anyone at the lake today, but those who were were definitely not fishing. I bet we looked like idiots.

"I'm fishing for treasure. Leave me alone!" Zak snapped playfully.

Ernie was sniffing the water, his black nose dangerously close to the surface. Suddenly, his nose went in. Ernie snorted and then sneezed, sending a fountain of lake water and dog snot flying all over us. Zak and Aaron were yelling while I was laughing.

"Ernie!" Zak scolded as he wiped the wet spots on his shirt, "See, Mikey? This is why I don't wear white!"

"But you look so good in white!" I teased.

Although, he did look pretty nice in white.

Zak just growled at me. Ernie trotted up to me like he had done something right.

"Oh, you enjoyed that, didn't you?" I asked Ernie.

Ernie just looked up at me, his tongue wagging sideways out of his mouth as if he was smiling.  
Just then, Zak splashed through the water and turned his reel really fast.

"Zak caught something! Hallelujah!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak reeled in his catch and backed out of the water. Gracie chased the line and hopped like a rabbit as she barked at it.

"What is it? What is it?" Zak asked.

The end of the line flew out with something greenish-brown on the end. Aaron burst out laughing.

"It's a glob of slime!" Aaron burst out laughing.

I walked over and grabbed the line.

"It's like, seaweed or something," I said.

"That's my treasure I was fishing for," Zak said, "Algae!"

I just laughed and pulled the slimy nastiness off of the line.

"Eat it!" I said.

"No!" Zak argued.

"Dude, I'll give you five bucks if you eat that!" Aaron said excitedly.

"Fuck no, dude!" Zak said.

As we argued and tried to get Zak to put the slimy grass blob in his mouth, Ernie snatched the glob out of my hand and swallowed it whole.

"Ah! That's nasty!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Now he's gonna get sick and we're gonna have to take him to the vet," Zak said.

"Nah! He's eaten chocolate and it didn't kill him. He'll be fine," I said.

Zak rolled his eyes and shook his head. He reeled in his line and decided to call it quits on fishing. Aaron and I followed him out of the water and we walked over to a little plastic table and sat down in the matching plastic chairs. Zak began to put away his fishing supplies while Aaron and I chilled. We had been out at the lake nearly all day, and Aaron's poor bald head was sunburnt. He didn't mind too much. It was just relaxing to be out here and reclaiming sanity.

"Dude, I have spring fever so bad!" Aaron said.

"I know, right? It feels so good out here!" I agreed.

"We should go on a road trip," Aaron suggested.

Zak closed his tackle box and cut his eyes at Aaron.

"We're on the road all the time!" Zak pointed out.

"But this could be like a fun trip. Just a relaxing trip to clear our heads," Aaron went on.

I nodded.

"That sounds like a plan," I said.

Zak sighed. He didn't seem to keen on the idea. I could tell he just wanted to stay home.

"When's our next lockdown?" Zak asked.

"I heard it was like, Labor Day weekend or something like that!" Aaron said.

Zak and I stared at Aaron in shock. It wasn't even May yet!

"From who?" Zak asked.

"Billy!" Aaron replied, "Here. I'll double check."

"Yeah, do that. 'Cause if it really is that far away, Mikey, you and I are going to go stir-crazy!"

I made a "pfft" sound.

"_You_ may go stir-crazy, but that will drive _me_ crazy!" I said jokingly.

"Oh, I bet we can find something to do," Zak said suggestively and winked.

My jaw dropped and I threw my water bottle at him. Aaron smacked Zak's shoulder with the back of his hand.

"Gross, dude! I don't wanna hear that shit!" Aaron snapped.

Zak giggled.

"When is our next lockdown?" Zak asked.

Aaron pulled up our schedule on his phone.

"The Tuesday after Labor Day weekend," Aaron replied.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Um...oh! A theater!" he replied.

"Yes! I love theater lockdowns! Where's it at?" I asked.

As Aaron scrolled down, his face fell. He nudged Zak with his elbow and showed him his phone. When Zak read the screen, worry shadowed his features. They both glanced at each other, then to me.

Oh God.


	24. Ghost Adventurers Forever

When we returned home from our day at the lake, I took off for my office. Aaron went home after he and Zak spoke for a little bit. Neither one of them would tell me where our next lockdown was, and I was determined to find out what it was. So help me, if it was a demonic location, Zak and I would have some serious talking to do!

"Michael!" Zak called from the kitchen.

I ignored him as I flew into my computer chair and logged in. I hunted up our schedule quickly before Zak could come in and stop me. I found the schedule in my e-mail, and I quickly opened the file and scrolled down. Behind me, I could hear Gracie's tags jingling and Zak's footsteps across the floor. I scanned the file, finding the date of the next lockdown underneath the original dates for the Ivanov Mansion lockdown. When my eyes scanned over the date, I burst out laughing.

"Zak!" I called.

I turned around to see Zak entering my office.

"What?" he asked.

I pointed to my computer screen.

"It's after Memorial Weekend. Not Labor Day. Aaron got it mixed up," I said.

Zak gave me a crooked smile.

"That makes more sense," he said, "I was wondering why we would have to wait until September. I thought it may be a typo."

"Nope. Just Aaron's goofiness," I said.

Zak, who had looked relieved, began to seem a little nervous.

"Did you see where we were going?" he asked.

"Oh, no. I didn't even look at that. Where are we going?" I asked as I turned back to the schedule.

Zak sighed heavily.

"I can cancel it if you want me to," he said.

I was totally confused.

"Why would you..."

I trailed off as I read over the location. No wonder Zak had not wanted to tell me. He probably thought it would upset me, but as far as I was concerned, this was an awesome location.

"The Brady Theater? I love that place!" I said excitedly.

Zak looked at me like I was crazy.

"In Tulsa," he said.

I arched an eyebrow.

"I'm pretty sure that's the one and only," I said, not fully understanding what he was getting at.

"Oklahoma," he said, now arching his own eyebrow.

"Yes, Zak," I said, "What's wrong with it?"

Zak backed off. He looked at the carpeted floor and twisted a sock-clad foot into it.

"That's where you're from, right?" he asked, his tone now softer than it was.

"Well, Broken Arrow, but they're basically just one big city now. All my life, I never knew where the dividing line was. It's kind of like when you're driving into Dallas, you really can't distinguish between the suburbs and the city itself. But essentially, yes. Why?"

Zak turned around and leaned against the desk. He crossed his arms over his chest, keeping his eyes trained on his shoes.

"Well, you know. I just thought that going back would not be the best idea. I thought it may still be a sensitive deal for you," he said.

I sat back in my chair, letting Zak's words sink in.

"Well, I can tell you right now. It's not my favorite place in the world, but it's not really a huge deal. Going to Broken Arrow is one thing, but Tulsa is alright. I like Tulsa," I said.

That seemed to calm Zak down a little. I see the gears of thinking turning behind his eyes.

"You're not just saying that so we'll go, are you?" he asked, staring at me with accusing eyes, "Because, if it's sensitive for you, we won't go. I don't want memories that you don't want brought up be come forward, you know? I know how hard it was for you after things were brought up at Dunlap Mansion."

"No, Zak! I actually have really good memories about the Brady," I said.

Zak reached out and brushed my hair behind my ear.

"You've been there before?" he asked curiously.

"Several times. I went to my first concert there when I was 13. My mom was pissed!"

Zak laughed.

"You didn't have permission?" he asked.

"Psht! I went with Patch! I was fine! Plus, it wasn't like anything hardcore and crazy. It was just 3 Doors Down," I replied.

Zak laughed again.

"I think I've been there three or four times to see different bands. I know I saw Shinedown there. And then in the Brady Village, which is just this big field they have nearby, I saw Puddle of Mudd. But I had no idea the place was haunted!"

"Oh yeah! I got some information from Jeff e-mailed to me earlier. It has one hell of a history. I'm excited about it. It's like I said, though. This place holds more memories for you than any of us," Zak said.

I stood up from my chair. Zak slipped his arms around my waist and watched me thoughtfully.

"I wanna go. I think it'll be interesting to investigate a place where I'm from. I'm just wondering what the hell you and I are going to do for an entire month."

Zak smiled and tilted his head down to kiss me.

"We can still do that road trip," he offered.

"Yeah, but we need to figure out where we're going to go," I said.

Zak pulled me into him. I laid my head on his shoulder and wrapped my arms around him.

"Maybe there is something Memorial Day Weekend that we could drive to," Zak said.

I shrugged.

"Patch and I used to drive out to Rocklahoma on Memorial Day Weekend," I said.

"What's that?" Zak asked.

"This huge three day rock festival in Pryor. It's about an hour outside of Tulsa. I've seen Mötley Crüe there, ZZ Top, Rob Zombie," I listed.

"No fucking way! Really?" Zak asked excitedly.

"Mhmm. I'm sure they still have it," I said.

"Oh my God! Michael!" Zak burst out.

I looked up worriedly at him.

"Let's get tickets and drive out there!" he said, his eyes brighter than I had seen them in a long time.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah. We can load up our lockdown gear, go out there and get in the concert mood, since the Brady _is_ a concert venue, then do our lockdown. We can take Aaron and Billy. Nick and Jay will have to fly out. It's only like, a two day drive from here. We can handle it!"

Zak was so pumped, and it began to quickly rub off on me.

"Let's go call Aaron and Billy!" I said enthusiastically.

"Go ahead, sweetie. I'm going to buy tickets," he said.

We excitedly split off. When Zak saw the setlist for the festival, he was as happy as a little boy. When we called Billy and Aaron, they both wanted to go to. They were both pumped for the end of the month road trip. We even talked Nick into coming. However, Jay was unavailable for the concert. He and his wife had some work to do at home, but he was definitely flying in for the lockdown.

"Two days in the same vehicle with Billy and Aaron," Zak said that night as we got ready for bed.

I pulled back the covers and looked up at him.

"It's going to be a blast, Zak," I reassured him.

"I hope I don't end up regretting this," he said jokingly.

I slipped under the covers and smiled up at him.

"Just shut up and come to bed," I snapped.

Zak grinned. He climbed on top of me and kissed me deeply. I don't know about him, but I was really going to enjoy this upcoming trip.

Xxx  
**Rocklahoma Day #3-Sunday  
Pryor, Oklahoma**

Our two day trip from Las Vegas to Tulsa had to be the worst idea we've ever had. Driving 17 hours with Aaron and Billy dancing and Zak singing at the top of his lungs was only fun for a little while. By the time we hit Oklahoma City, I was ready to kill them. I was already nervous with the heavy traffic, and by the time I was ready to trade driving with Zak, it was too late to pull over. They were annoying me, and we all needed to get out and space ourselves from each other. On the other hand, I was glad Zak was singing. Singing meant he was happy-blissfully happy. He had said countless times that music was his medicine. I had been told by a band director in high school that our DNA vibrates to certain music. Nick had said that music and our spiritual energy go hand in hand. Our energy connects with certain things, like how Zak and I connected or how music put him in a state of peace. I knew he was also excited about this new lockdown and getting the hell out of Vegas, so he was at peace with life at the moment.  
It had been a month now since Zak's last demonic attack. The length was a little alarming, and set the bar high for the next attack-that is, if there _was_ a next one. We were all hoping he wouldn't have one any time soon. We all should have been worried. We should be preparing an arming ourselves, but we really couldn't make ourselves dwell on it. We were much too happy, and we wanted to enjoy it while it lasted.  
Today was our second day out at Rocklahoma. Nick had flown in yesterday and joined us at Rocklahoma. It was a blast to be out there with the guys, and today would have been just as great, if not better, had we prepared for the dreaded Oklahoma heat. It was the end of May, but it was already hot enough to be borderline miserable. I had gotten so used to the dry heat of Vegas, that I had completely forgotten about the wonderful Oklahoma humidity. It was wretched! I couldn't wait for the sun to go down.  
With the five lawn chairs we had bought for the show, we were seated out near the middle of the large field the festival took place in. The front was filled with people in the pit, and behind it was a fenced off area for VIP people. Being just general admission, the guys and I had to pick a spot out in the field, but where we were seated was perfect. We had a semi-perfect view of the stage and a great view of the screens on each side. Plus, nearby were the food vendors, a tent for the smaller, local bands that played while the other stage was between bands, and on the other side of us was the beer tent. It was perfect for us, other than the fact that the five o' clock sun was beaming down and there was no shade.

"What happened to the cool weather?" Aaron asked as he and Billy walked up with water bottles in their hands and under their arms.

"It's Oklahoma, dearest Aaron," I replied, "The weather constantly changes. Tomorrow it'll be totally different."

Behind us came the sound of girls cat calling and shouting things like "Damn!" and "Work it sexy!" The guys and I turned around to see Zak walking up wearing nothing but his jeans and Supras. His t-shirt was hanging from a belt loop and two other pieces of clothing were casually thrown over his shoulder.  
My eyes widened and my parched mouth literally watered at the sight of him. Really, with the humidity, it_was_ hot out here. Zak burned up easily, so it made sense that he'd take his shirt off. Many other men out here of various body types didn't even show up with a t-shirt, and lot of women and teenaged girls were out here in bikini tops and short-shorts. But dear Lord!  
Zak's skin was shiny from sunscreen and sweat. He seemed to move in slow motion. My eyes grazed him from the sway of his hips, up his shiny abs and pecs and to his sweat-dampened hair. He was watching me with this intense stare. I thought I had died!  
As Zak came over to me, I couldn't help but just stare at him.

"Gosh dammit, you're gorgeous!" I blurted out.

Zak smiled that brilliant smile of his. I wasn't sure whether to drool or tackle him.

Zak smirked.

"What did I tell you, Nick? Michael nuts out when I take my shirt off," he said smugly.

I just rolled my eyes.

"So do many other girls that see you!" I snapped at him, breaking from my trance.

Aaron sat down beside me.

"He just likes the attention. It really is hot out here, though. Look! Nick is taking his shirt off, too," Aaron said.

I just shook my head. Zak sat down beside me and unfolded one of the t-shirts hanging from his shoulder.

"I got you a t-shirt," he said, almost in an apologetic tone.

I smiled and took it.

"Thank-you," I said.

Zak smiled at me. He thought he was really off the hook. Pfft! Shit!

"But I'm serious, mister! If I have to knock a bitch out..."

Zak laughed and wrapped his arms around me, causing my cheeks to flush. The rush of blood didn't help the heat any at all!

"Zak, look!" Nick said, tapping the back of his hand against Zak's bicep.

Zak looked up in the direction Nick was pointing.

"Those are the girls that were yelling at you just a minute ago," Nick said.

Approaching us were two girls that looked like fucking hookers. One was obscenely tanned, wearing a leopard print bikini top, black short-shorts with the fly undone so you would see her matching bottoms, and black cowboy boots. The other was more pale, but wore a hot pink bikini top and a black leather skirt and flip-flops. Anger boiled up in me. I knew exactly what was attracting them over here.

"Fucking whores," Zak spat, which surprised me.

"Zak!" I scolded.

Zak shrugged while Nick laughed.

"What? They take one look at me and here they come," he said, totally disgusted.

"Well, put your shirt back on!" I hissed.

"It's hot!" he whined, "Plus..."

"Hey, handsome!" the tanned, blonde one called.

"Only you can have me. They can't," he said.

Zak leaned down, taking me by surprise as he cupped my face and kissed me. That put a stop to them. I heard them both scoff and complain. Aaron and Nick laughed.

"Why did you do that for?" Billy complained, "I wanted to see Mikey knock a bitch out!"

Zak and I both laughed, but didn't break from our kiss.

"What the hell?" one girl bitched.

"UGH! Really? _Her_?" the other spat.

Both Zak and I broke away. I was tempted to flip them off, but Zak said something else that was just as good.

"Go take a bath!" he snapped.

Their jaws dropped, as did mine. I guess when it came to people insulting me, Zak wasn't so nice, no matter what gender they were. Nevertheless, it was pretty funny.

"What? She's my wife! Get a grip!" he shouted at them.

The girls glanced at each other and rolled their eyes before walking away.

"Seems like everyone is after me," Zak remarked.

I let my eyes graze down his chest. I bit my tongue to prevent myself from doing anything. He drove me absolutely wild!

"Can you blame them?" I asked cheekily.

Zak smirked and leaned down to cup my face. He pressed his forehead to mine and watched me lovingly.

"Why the hell would I want anything to do with them, though? They have nothing on you, Michael," he said.

It was cheesy, but I couldn't control the smile on my face.

"Don't. Don't. Don't! Dammit!" Aaron exclaimed as Zak and I kissed each other deeply.

"Not near me!" Aaron whined, "Why can't you find somewhere else?"

I didn't know that later, after it grew dark and Nick and Zak had several beers down them, that that would be the plan.

Xxx  
**Tuesday.  
Lockdown Day.**

"Hello!" Zak yelled from the nosebleeds of the Brady Theater.

"Zak!" Nick barked.

Zak looked over the railing to see Nick walking down an aisle. Nick turned around and looked up at Zak.

"Zak, I have a fucking headache!" Nick complained, "Could you please chill?"

Zak smirked a smirk that made Nick cringe. Zak had been on a sugar-high since lunch, and his good mood was pissing Nick off.

"What's wrong, Nick?" Zak shouted, throwing his loud voice and making Nick squeeze his eyes shut and wince.

"Zak, please!" Nick pleaded.

"Is somebody hung over?" Zak asked loudly.

Nick did not reply as he stormed out into the hallway. Zak smiled and went after him. The night before after they retrieved Jay from the airport, Mikey drove the boys out to one of her favorite restaurants. Stuck in party mode from the weekend's concerts, Nick, Jay, Billy and himself had a few drinks. Zak had stopped after his second, for Michael really did not like messing with him when he was drunk, and he did not like being plastered around her. The one time he had really gotten messed up, other than the night when they returned home from Romania, was after his bachelor party. He was, in the easiest way to put it, fucked up. He remembered very little, but he could not forget the look on Michael's face when they brought him home. Aaron explained to her that they had just partied hard. She was not mad, but she did look at him strangely. After Nick and Aaron left, she did not stay around. He did not even remember her speaking to him that night. He never discussed the situation with her, but assumed she had been around drunk people before and had gotten hurt in some way. Therefore, Zak refrained from drinking too much around her. Plus, he did not want to have a repeat of that hangover.  
Nick and Billy hit the alcohol pretty hard during dinner the night before. They had been in a drinking mood, drinking every night since day #2 of Rocklahoma. They had been drinking in moderation in the heat, but in the comfort of an air-conditioned restaurant, they overdid it. Billy had been grumpy on this day, but Nick was a nightmare to be around. Zak knew Nick was probably in hell and dreaded tonight's all-nighter in the historic theater, but he still got a kick out of aggravating his co-investigator.  
Zak ran downstairs to find Nick approaching the front doors.

"Nick!" Zak called.

His voice echoed, and he felt really bad about startling Nick.

"Goddammit, Zak! What the fuck?" Nick shouted.

Zak jogged over on tip-toe, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Sorry," he said quietly, "I was just going to tell you that Mikey has some pain killers in her bag. You could use them."

Nick's angered expression softened and he looked down.

"Thanks. Where is she?" he asked.

"I think she's at the truck helping Aaron," Zak replied.

Nick nodded.

"'Kay. Cool," he said and turned away from Zak to leave.

"Hey, Nick?" Zak asked.

Nick stopped and turned to look at Zak.

"What?" he asked, exasperated.

Zak looked at Nick regretfully.

"I'm sorry you don't feel good, bro," he apologized.

Nick gave his friend a small smile.

"Thanks, Zak," he said softly.

Zak perked up a little. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when he heard Billy calling him from down the hall. He and Nick said quick goodbyes and parted.  
Later, after going over X-cams with Jay and Billy, Zak made his way outside. Out front, he found Michael with a pair of headphones on her head as she focused on her iPod. Her head was tilting from side to side and the toe of one shoe was tapping against the concrete. Zak smiled as he watched her. This was how Michael danced. Minimal, but he found that was how she rocked out. It made him happy, because when Michael danced, he knew she was in a very good mood. Seeing her in a good mood put him in even better spirits. It had been a long time since he had felt as happy as he had on this trip, and he loved it.  
Zak walked down the ramp and strolled over to Michael. She was wearing one of his old black tanks that, because of his growth in the pectorals, he had outgrown. It was old, ripped, and faded, but Michael loved it. It fit her in places and was baggy in others, making it perfect to wear on the unseasonably hot day. She was wearing several bracelets on both wrists, her GAC necklace, camo cargo shorts to hold multiple lenses, black tennis shoes, and her hair up in a ponytail with her favorite bandana headband. With her brightly colored tattoo-sleeve, she was intimidating, but Zak loved it.  
As Zak approached, Michael looked up at him. Zak gave her a smile. Michael threw off her headphones, letting them fall heavily around her neck.

"Hey, best friend!" she called to him.

Zak grinned and walked over to her. Michael walked into Zak, her focus back on her iPod. Zak placed one hand on her hip. His other hand reached up and rotated the ear cup towards him.

"Whatcha listening to?" he asked curiously.

She looked up at him and gave him a smile.

"Hendrix," she replied.

"Ah! Classic," Zak commented.

Zak slipped his arms around her and nuzzled his nose and cheek against the side of her head and listened to the shrill sounds of a guitar solo blaring from a speaker. Zak felt Michael's arm move and she reached down to shut the music off, leaving alone the ambient sounds of downtown Tulsa in their ears. She put her iPod in her pocket, then put her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder. Zak closed his eyes, enjoying this moment. His favorite time of day was always the wait before lockdown time, and being outside with Michael only made it better. They had had so much fun during their time here. After all of the trouble and pain both of them had gone through in the passed few months, Zak regained hope that the fun times he and Michael had together-their carefree fun, would finally return. As far as he was concerned, life was good.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Zak asked.

Michael tilted her head up to look at him.

"Totally!" she replied, "What did you want me to do tonight?"

Zak shrugged. He didn't really have much of a plan for this lockdown, other than the usual with Nick and Aaron.

"You can hang out at base and watch monitors. You can come with us. I really don't care. Whatever you wanna do," he said with a shrug.

Michael sighed.

"I'll go with you guys," she said.

Zak chuckled and rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Sounds good," he said.

Zak pulled back and took Michael's chin between his index finger and thumb. She watched him with large, anxious eyes, waiting to see what he was going to do. Zak moved the hand that was holding her chin and stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers, careful not to scratch her with his rings. Zak could not suppress the smile creeping up on him. For as long as he had known Michael, something had drawn him to her. Something about being around her made him feel happy, and now was no exception.  
As his smile formed, Michael mirrored him. Zak leaned in and kissed her. A burst of energy that he felt each time he kissed her rushed through him, flooding his system and chasing out negative energy. Zak knew it was not magic or anything necessarily supernatural. It was simple. It was the love, kindness, friendship, and devotion they had for each that created light and positive energy. It made him happy and took the weight of his hauntings off of his shoulders.  
Michael wrapped her arms around his neck, causing him to kiss her deeper. They only broke away when a car horn nearby startled them. Zak and Michael jumped and looked out at the road. They thought their public display of affection and triggered it, but realized it was just somebody honking at someone in a four-way intersection. They breathed a sigh of relief and Zak leaned down to continue their kiss, but it was interrupted by his cell phone ringing.

"Dammit!" he cried out.

Michael laughed and let him go so he could answer his cell phone. Zak pulled his phone out of his pocket to see the name of their researcher on the caller I.D.

"Hey, Jeff! What's up, bro?" Zak answered.

"_Hey, Zak. What do you think about doing a double lockdown_?" Jeff asked.

Zak raised an intrigued eyebrow. Michael tilted her head to the side. Zak just winked at her.

"What do ya got for me?" Zak asked.

"_Well, we received an e-mail from a man who lives in Oklahoma a few months ago asking that if the Crew visited Oklahoma, would we consider investigating his place. Apparently, he is having an issue with spirits and he really needs our help. So, since you guys are in Tulsa, I called him. His name is Roger Mitchell. He, and I can't remember what he said, but he either lives in Rentiesville, or has land out in Rentiesville, but anyway. He has land he deer hunts on that he claims is infested with spirits. He says he sees everything from Native Americans to families that look like they are from the Oklahoma Land Run_," Jeff explained.

"Wow! Really?" Zak asked, now fascinated.

"_Yeah, man! And he says that they aren't very friendly. At first, they would scare deer off, but later scared him off of the property. It wasn't that big of a problem, though, until they started following him home. That's why he wants you guys to come investigate out there. I called him today and he was totally up for you guys to come out there. I also gave him your number, Zak, but I mentioned you would probably not be available later. But expect a call from him. I'll text you the number so you'll know it's him_," Jeff said.

"Sounds good, bro. I'll call him in a minute. Do you have any information on the property?" Zak asked.

"_I've been digging and making calls and so far, nothing. However, I'm going to keep going and see what I can find you. I'll e-mail you tonight if I find anything_," Jeff replied.

"Okay. Sounds good. I'll talk to you later," Zak said.

"_See ya, Zak_," Jeff said.

Zak hung up and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

"What's going on?" Michael asked, sounding slightly worried.

"Something awesome. Look, I've gotta go make a call. Can you round up the guys for me? We need to have a meeting," he said.

Michael nodded.

"Can do, boss," she replied.

Zak smiled and gave his wife a quick kiss.

"Thank-you, sweetie. Love you," he said.

"Love you, too, Zak," she said.

Zak could not resist giving her a quick hug before jogging off to her truck that was parked against the side of the theater, leaving Michael to her own devices.

Xxx

I jogged into the theater, smacking right into Aaron's shoulder.

"Shit!" we both shouted in unison.

"Fuck, Michael! Are you okay?" Aaron asked frantically as he grasped my shoulders.

I rubbed my nose and squeezed my eyes shut. I did hit him pretty hard.

"Yeah, I'm good," I replied, sounding nasally as I spoke.

I opened my eyes to see a relieved looking Aaron.

"What's the hurry, short one?" he asked.

I just smiled at him.

"Zak wants to have a meeting. He got a call about something that's supposedly 'awesome.' He wanted me to round you guys up," I said.

Aaron chuckled.

"I'll help. Watch this," he said

Aaron turned to face the hallway.

"Where did he want to meet?" Aaron asked.

I shrugged.

"The stage?" I asked.

Aaron cupped his hands around his mouth and took a deep breath.

"MEETING AT THE STAGE!" he bellowed.

I literally had to cover my ears. Aaron had one hell of a voice!

"Gotcha, bro!" we heard Billy shout.

Aaron looked down at me and grinned, pleased with himself.

"How was that?" he asked.

"Geez! And I thought Zak was loud!" I exclaimed.

Aaron laughed.

"Meh! Zak ain't nothin'! Come on. Let's go see what he wants," Aaron said.

I giggled at Aaron and followed him down the hall and to the stage door, where the rest of the Crew eventually showed up.  
I sat beside Aaron, hanging my feet off of the stage edge. It was about ten minutes or so before Zak showed up. Of course, we heard him long before we saw him.

"Where the hell are you guys?" he called from the halls.

"We're on the stage!" I shouted, my voice echoing everywhere.

Zak soon came running in. His cheeks were flushed, his hair was wind-blown from running, and he the most excited smile on his face. He ran up to us and comically smacked into the gates that the security crew used during concerts.

"Oh my God, you guys!" he exclaimed breathlessly.

All of us watched Zak as if he had gone absolutely nuts.

"I just scored an awesome lockdown for tomorrow night!" he said excitedly.

"Double lockdown?" Aaron asked, picking up on Zak's excitement.

"Fuck yes!" Nick shouted.

We laughed at Nick.

"There's a man who has been trying to get a hold of us for some time. He is having issues with spirits on his hunting land. They've been following him home and tormenting him, so I agreed that we would come out and investigate and give this man some closure. What do you say, guys?" Zak asked.

We all looked at each other.

"Where's the lockdown at?" Nick asked.

"Rentiesville," Zak said, sounding unsure of himself.

He looked over to me.

"Is that right?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Yeah, that's right," I said.

"Please, Mikey. Please tell me you know how to get there!" Zak pleaded.

I just smirked.

"Oh yeah. Patch used to drive me out there for their Blues festival. It's just a long drive," I said.

Zak smiled.

"That woman took you everywhere, didn't she?" he asked.

"Oh yeah! She liked to party, remember?" I asked.

Zak grinned and nodded. His bright eyes glanced up at the boys.

"You guys up for it?" he asked.

A collection of "Totally's," "Hell yeahs," and "Fuck yeahs" came from the boys. Zak clapped his hands together and smiled at us, proud of his team.

"Then, let's get started! Nick, Aaron, let's go get this intro recorded since we didn't get it finished earlier. Billy and Jay, you guys can head to the nerve center. Michael, you can go get your cameras and get to work. Ready guys?" he asked.

Zak put his fist in. The guys and I hopped down from stage to join Zak.

"GAC!" the boys yelled in the collective fist bump.

Then, they all started hollering (excluding Jay) and took off running through the theater. Zak shook his head and looked at me with this smoldering stare. He was going to kill me, I swear!

"Ready, sweetheart?" he asked, holding one of his muscular arms up with an open hand as if we were going to arm wrestle.

I smiled and took his hand, gripping it tightly.

"Let's go hunt some ghosts," I said excitedly.

Zak smiled and shook his head slightly.

"Goddammit, I love you!" he blurted out.

I burst out laughing. Zak reached over and lifted me effortlessly over the gate. I took his hand and we walked out of the theater together. I knew this was going to be a fun night.


	25. The Old Lady on Brady

"_I gave my everything  
For all the wrong things  
In this cold reality I made  
This selfish war machine_"  
- "Dark Side of Me" by Coheed and Cambria

When I take behind the scenes pictures of the boys, I feel like the paparazzi. Sitting crouched down near a lamppost while Zak, well, _performed_ and taking continuous shots felt so invasive. However, these pictures were what the network requested, so I couldn't skip it. Today though, it allowed me to hear the full backstory of tonight's lockdown.

"Today, we are in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Known as the Oil Capital of the World, Tulsa is home to famous country singers, the Tulsa Oil Drillers, and was the stage for one of the darkest events in Oklahoma history: the Race Riots. Tonight, we are investigating the historic Brady Theater, which in 1920, was right in the middle of it all."

I looked away from my viewfinder and up at Zak. I wasn't sure if it was the way he looked or the tone of his voice-maybe both! Either way, it was absolutely captivating! For the a second, I forgot what I was doing.  
The boys cut and Zak strolled over to the ramp that led to the theater's entrance.

"Formally the Tulsa Convention Hall, the Brady Theater was originally completed in 1914, and has since been remodeled twice. In 1921, the theater was caught in the center of one of the most violent massacres in the United States, the Tulsa Race Riots."

They cut again. I had run after them to keep up. I followed them inside the theater and inside to the front of the auditorium.

"The Riots occurred nearly 100 years ago, ending on this date, June 1st, which I know is bound to stir up some activity tonight," Zak said.

"Is it really the anniversary of the Riots?" I asked.

Zak nodded.

"Perfect timing!" Nick said, grinning ear to ear.

Zak nodded in agreement.

"Let's continue," he said.

"Rolling," Nick said.

"On May 31st, 1930, Tulsa's black community was attacked, resulting in 35 city blocks being burnt to the ground and an estimated 10,000 left homeless. The Brady Theater is said to have served as a 'holding area' where riot victims could seek refuge. However, it is said that many who came in, did not come back out," Zak said, ending in a very dark tone.

We cut and filmed Zak up in the nosebleeds.

"It is claimed that men inside were tortured, burned alive, and buried in the basement floors and walls. It is also said that the theater is haunted by famous opera singer Enrico Caruso, who had to walk to his own show at the Brady in the rain. He died around six to nine months later due to a lung abscess from a bout of pleurisy in 1921. His manager blamed Tulsa's bad weather for Caruso's untimely death."

We cut again and headed down and onto the stage.

"Staff of the theater have reported unexplainable phenomena occurring inside the theater, such as lightly turning on and off, as well as equipment failure before big shows."

And another cut so they could film Zak outside, right in front of the building.

"Today, the Brady serves as a theater, concert venue, and a home for spirits who are not at rest. Tonight, the Ghost Adventures Crew will be investigating," Zak paused and put his hand out, gesturing to the brick red building behind him, "The Old Lady on Brady."

Nick and Aaron cut and I wanted to clap. Zak seemed to be getting better and better at his introductions. Just within two years alone, he had grown so much as a host. I was proud of him-all of them!  
After darkness fell and the theater's owner locked us in, we paired off to get temperature and EMF sweeps done. Zak and Nick covered the basement, while I walked with Aaron's camera to film him and record proof of our readings.

"How long has it been since you've been here?" Aaron asked curiously as we walked through the bar and down a hall.

"To the theater?" I asked.

"Just Tulsa itself," he replied.

"Oh, shit! I don't even know. I left when I was 20 and moved to Arkansas. I lived there for about three years before I got on with you guys. Not counting being at Tulsa International those few times, it's been around five years," I replied.

Aaron's eyes grew huge.

"Wow! Are you happy to be back?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"On some levels, yes. I think I was just ready to get out of the house, you know?"

Aaron smiled and nodded. After doing our sweep and recording baselines, Zak called Aaron on the walkie-talkie, telling us to meet upstairs to get base readings up there. So, Aaron and climbed the stairs and waited in the hall.  
We had to wait a little bit until the boys made it upstairs. At the sound of Zak and Nick's voices, Aaron and turned. Aaron switched his flashlight on and waved it so they would know where we were. It seemed, though, that Nick and Zak wanted to take their sweet time. They made no effort to speed up when they saw us.  
Aaron groaned.

"He wants us to hurry and get up here and then he takes forever," Aaron complained.

I smiled.

"I think I can get him to move a little faster," I said mischievously.

Aaron raised an eyebrow.

"Let's see," he said.

I looked down the hall at Zak and Nick, who were now only a few yards away.

"Zak, come on, bro!" Aaron called.

Zak cut his eyes at Aaron. I bent at the waist and clapped my hands against my thighs.

"Come on, Zak!" I urged, then made "kissy" noises that one would use to call a dog.

Nick kept walking, but Zak stopped in his tracks. He glared at me and put his hands on his hips. When a smirk appeared and wicked look appeared in his eyes, I knew I was in for it.

"Don't test me, Michael," he threatened.

Of course, I did the opposite of what I was told. Like I'm going to listen to Zak!

"Come on! Come on!" I said, using a high-pitched tone that I normally used with Ernie.

"Michael!" Zak warned.

I just grinned.

"Fine!" I said, using reverse psychology.

I turned around to speak to Aaron.

"Let's go, bro," I said.

"Right behind ya," Aaron said.

When I heard footsteps rushing me, I glanced over my shoulder to see a blur of Zak. I screamed and took off running. I didn't get to run very far before Zak snatched me up and lifted me off of the floor. I squealed and squirmed, trying to break away.

"I told you," Zak said as he carried me back over to Nick and Aaron.

They were laughing at me.

"Okay, guys. Let's get in here and get this done," Zak said.

Nick laughed at my annoyed expression.

"Zak, are you going to carry Mikey around all night?" he asked.

Zak turned, making me face away from the boys.

"I don't have a leash," he said.

I scoffed at him and swatted the back of his head.

"You are such a butt!" I snapped at him.

Aaron laughed at us.

"They are so ornery tonight," he commented.

Zak put me down and led me into the nosebleeds.

"As long as Zak doesn't yell again, I think we'll be okay," Nick said.

Zak spun around and smirked at Nick.

"See what I mean?" Aaron asked.

"Freaking Baganseses," Nick said.

Zak and I just looked at each other and smiled. They were right. We were total shits tonight.

Xxx

Later, Nick was off at the stage doing an EVP session. Zak, Aaron and I were near the bathrooms. We had been walking in search of the stairs to nowhere, when Zak's shoes squeaked to a halt. Aaron and I turned around and looked at him.

"What is it, bro?" Aaron asked.

I turned on my flashlight and faced it to the floor so I could see, but not have the light interrupt Aaron's filming.  
Zak was looking around, not really nervous or anything, but curious.

"I thought I felt something," he said, "Aaron, can you hand me a Mel Meter?"

"Sure, bro," Aaron replied, handing Zak the device.

"What was the base reading?" he asked.

"It was like, 84 degrees," Aaron replied.

Zak watched the screen.

"Well, I'm getting 82, but it's steady," Zak said.

Zak handed the Mel back to Aaron.

"But you sensed something?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah, kind of. I don't know. I just had a feeling like we might get some activity. It's gone now," Zak replied.

It was then I felt a tickling sensation on my leg. Thinking it was all in my head, I ignored it.

"Should we do an EVP session?" Aaron asked.

The tickling feeling continued, crawling right up my leg. I reached down to feel the spot, when I felt something rough. When it moved, I flipped.

"What the fuck?" I screamed and swatted the strange thing off of my leg.

Literally jumped two feet away from my original spot and backed up, my heart beating rapidly and my breathing shortened.

"What happened?" Aaron asked.

"Michael, what's wrong?" Zak asked worriedly.

I shined my flashlight across the floor, looking for the thing I had just swatted off of my leg. I saw nothing. I shined my light up and on the opposite wall to find a fairly large black spider.

"Ah, dude! A fucking spider!" Aaron exclaimed.

I walked across the hall, kicked a leg up, and smashing the spider, grinding its arachnid guts into the wall.

"Bastard!" I growled.

Zak was giggling.

"What's wrong, Mikey? I thought you weren't afraid of spiders?" he asked teasingly.

"I'm afraid of them when they're _fucking crawling on me_!" I snapped.

Zak grinned and struggled not to laugh.

"Mikey's afraid of spiders!" Zak sang.

I walked over to him and attacked him. He just laughed and backed away as I went at him.

"You are such an ass! That thing could have bitten me!" I cried out.

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm sorry. Just don't hit me," Zak said.

I growled and spun away from him. I heard a faint whimper come from Zak, similar to a dog's whine when you leave them.

"I love you," he said softly, trying to get himself out of trouble.

Aaron giggled at him.

"Dude, that's not gonna work. Trust me. She just roundhouse kicked a spider. Imagine your punishment later," Aaron said.

I stopped walking and turned to the side and looked up at the boys.

"But, I like Mikey's punishments," he said with a cheesy grin.

Aaron rolled his eyes and groaned.

"Bro, I don't care! You're gross, dude!" Aaron complained.

"Zak, we're going to be stuck in the middle of a field tomorrow. I'm going to make sure to look under every rock for a snake. When I find one, you've had it," I threatened.

Zak's eyes widened in shock and terror. No, I never would actually do that, but I wasn't too happy with him right now.

"Michael!" Zak whined.

"Don't Michael me. That scared the piss out of me!" I growled at him.

Zak approached me.

"Sweetie, I was just kidding with you," Zak said in softer tone.

"I don't wanna hear it!" I said stubbornly.

"Guys, don't fight. Let's go find Nick and head down to the basement," Aaron suggested.

Aaron walked on ahead and I began to follow.

"Mikey," Zak said softly.

I stopped and turned around. Zak walked over to me with his hands in his pockets.

"I really am sorry," he said innocently.

I sighed and gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, Zak," I said.

"I didn't know you were really that scared of spiders," he said.

"I'm not usually, but when one is crawling on me, it's dead. So dead! I guess my senses were really heightening, too," I said.

Zak gave me a warm smile. I reached down and took his hand.

"C'mon, big boy. Let's go catch some ghosts. If anywhere in this building is active, it's downstairs," I said.

Zak's smile widened.

"I like the way you think. Let's go!" Zak said excitedly.

With that, Zak and I took off running to catch up with Aaron.

The basement of the Brady Theater was more like a tunnel. The walls were made of concrete and small rocks. The floor was cluttered with building materials, like lumber scraps, sawhorses, buckets, paint cans, and globs of pebbly concrete. The mess little room, so I backed up against a wall and crouched down out of the boys' way so I could take my pictures.

"Guys, be very careful. I don't want anyone tripping and busting their head open," Zak said.

As they began to start an EVP session, a clattering sounded from down the hall. I heard Aaron's distinct gasp come next, followed by Zak shushing him.

"Did you hear that?" Aaron hissed.

"It sounded like a rock or something," Nick said.

"Guys, quiet," Zak ordered and held the digital recorder up, "Are you throwing things at us?"

We all carefully listened, but the only noise in the tunnel was the rustling of Zak's baggy jeans, the creaking of the plastic cameras, and our breathing.

"Nothing," Nick said.

"That's weird, dude," Aaron said.

Zak turned on a flashlight and shined it down the hall. It was useless to search for the rock or object, since the floor was littered with crumbles of plaster and concrete.

"Is the wall crumbling?" I asked.

"It could be," Zak said.

He pointed his flashlight to the ceiling and reached a long arm up to pry at the ceiling. Nothing would budge.

"Hmm," Zak said thoughtfully.

It was at this time I started feeling uncomfortably warm. I wasn't sure if maybe it was from the excitement of the unexplained noise or just all of us being in a small space at once, but I was starting to sweat.

"Who threw that at us? What is your name?" Zak asked the spirits lurking around us.

I laid my head back on the rocky wall. The air in here was so stagnant, it was hard to breath.

"Can you come over here to us?" Zak asked.

"Is it hot in here to you guys?" I asked.

"I'm fine," Aaron said.

"It is kind of stuffy in here, Michael," Zak replied.

I pulled at my tank, trying to create a breeze between the cotton fabric and my skin.

"If there is a spirit in here, you're totally welcome to come touch me or run through me," I said, hoping one would come by and freeze me.

"What did you ask that for?" Nick asked.

"I'm fucking burning up!" I squeaked out.

"Michael, it's only 81 degrees down here. I usually burn up before you do, and I'm fine," Zak said, trying to reason with me.

I pulled my knees up and rested my elbows on my knees, letting my head hang. I could feel moisture on my back and in my armpits. I was so glad I was wearing Zak's baggy tank. Otherwise, I would be totally gross.

"I wanna go back to the hotel and fall into pool," I grumbled.

My complaint fell upon deaf ears. I pushed myself to my feet. I could feel the tank sticking to my back. I turned to face the wall and pressed the side of my face to it. It didn't help much.

"God!" I grumbled loudly.

"Michael, what's wrong?" Zak asked, sounding pissed at me for making noise.

"I'm fucking hot, Zak! It's hot as hell in here!" I snapped at him.

"I'm freezing," Nick said.

Good for you, Nick!

I squeezed my eyes shut. I felt sick.

"I feel like I'm gonna puke, guys," I said.

"Michael, don't throw up. Come on. You're alright," Aaron said, trying to make me feel better.

Zak walked over to me with the Mel Meter, waving it around me. He then touched me with it, making it's highest pitched alarm go off.  
I jumped and spun around.

"Zak, that's not funny!"

"Just trying to distract you," he said.

I groaned and began to pace.

"Stop it. I don't feel good," I whined.

"I told you about eating Taco Bell before lockdown," Zak said.

"This isn't from Taco Bell! I feel like I did when I almost passed out in the airport," I said.

I couldn't really see Zak, but I could sense his alarm.

"Okay, I can't take it. I'm out of here," I said.

"Holy shit!" Aaron shouted, "I just saw a shadow cross over there!"

I walked down the hall and up the steps that led back into the hallway.

"Go after it, guys. I'm going with Michael," I heard Zak said.

I threw open the basement door and walked down the hall. I felt so much better in the hallway. My skin prickled with a cold chill as the cooler air hit my damp skin. I sighed in relief and propped myself up against the wall, enjoying this so much better than the basement. Zak appeared in no time. He had his flashlight on, and in the light, I could see his worried expression.

"You okay, Mikey?" he asked, concerned.

"Yeah!" I said happily, "I'm fine now. It felt like I was having a hot flash or something!"

Zak smiled.

"Sweetie, you're too young for that," he said.

I smiled at him.

"I know. That's what I'm getting at, though. Do you think it could have been something paranormal causing it? I mean, I'm the only one who felt it," I said.

"Have you ever had that happen to you before?" Zak asked.

"Not really, no. Not in an unexplainable situation like that," I replied.

Zak put a hand on his hip. I watched his nostrils flare as he exhaled loudly.

"I mean, it could have been anything biological. I am a girl, after all. It could have been a hormone rush or just some sort of panic attack from being in a cramped tunnel with you guys," I went on.

Zak's murky blue eyes watched me, troubled.

"The thing is, Michael, if it was paranormal, feeling heat usually is a sign of a malevolent spirit. Not necessarily demonic, but it could be. That's what worries me," he said.

I twisted my lips in thought. I didn't really think I felt a demonic entity. However, I remembered that Nick sometimes got sick when he was in the presence of a negative energy. Aaron got headaches sometimes. Zak got, well, every result in the book when he was around negative energy. Maybe I my body temperature shot up when I sensed negative energy.

"Well, let's go back down there and see," I suggested, "It could just have been a spirit pissed off that it was dead."

Zak's eyes widened. I could almost see the lightbulb going off above his head.

"Oh my God, Michael! There was a rumor that bodies were buried in the walls and in the floor down there!" Zak said, pointing his thumb toward the basement door, "What if you were sitting up against one?"

I couldn't contain the cold chill that swept over me.

"I don't think I wanna know," I said.

Zak took my hand.

"Let's go back. I wanna try and see if we can pinpoint that spirit. Come on, Mikey," he said, now pumped.

I let Zak drag me back downstairs. In the tunnel, Aaron was crouched down with a digital recorder. Nick was sitting in the floor against the wall looking absolutely miserable. Zak caught on immediately.

"Nick, what's wrong?" he asked.

Nick just shook his head.

"I don't feel good, bro," he mumbled.

"Are you hot?" I asked, seeing if maybe he was having the same hot flash I just had.

Nick shook his head.

"I feel sick. I feel sad. I just..." Nick trailed off and put his head in his hands.

Zak and I looked over at Aaron for answers.

"What's going on?" Zak asked.

Aaron's eyes grew large.

"I don't know, dude! Right after you left, everything just exploded. It's nuts in here!" Aaron said animatedly.

Zak leaned down to Nick.

"Give me your camera, bro. Take a break," Zak said.

Nick gladly handed his camera over. Zak turned to me.

"Sit with him," he mouthed.

I nodded and walked over to Nick. Zak went off and began a spirit box session with Aaron. I slid down the wall beside Nick and put a hand on his shoulder. He sighed.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Nick took a moment before replying.

"I feel them, Mikes," he said sadly, "I feel confused and...trapped."

I put an arm around Nick and laid my head on his shoulder.

"It's okay," I said quietly.

Nick took a deep breath. I looked up to see the glow of Aaron's camera. Zak's face was illuminated by the screen of Nick's camera.

"Who is in here with us?" Zak asked in a demanding tone, "Show yourself!"

Down the hall came a growl that made all of us jump.

"Oh my God, dude!" Aaron exclaimed.

Zak's eyes were huge.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

Aaron nodded. Just then, Nick scrambled to his feet and pointed to the ground.

"What the fuck is that?" he shouted.

I jumped up and turned my flashlight on. A noise from down the tunnel caused Zak and Aaron to spin around and away from Nick and I. I searched the floor with my flashlight.

"I don't see anything Nick," I hissed.

"Mikey, I swear to God! I saw a shadow move across the floor!" Nick hissed back.

I turned to Nick and pointed the light to his chest so I could see his face.

"Are you sure it wasn't just-" I was cut off by a figure sliding across the wall behind Nick, "Holy shit! Nick, look!"

Nick spun around. We watched, completely frozen, as a figure that resembled something from _Where The Wild Things Are_ crawl across the wall, heading right to Zak's turned back.

"It's after him, Michael! It's back!" Nick whispered harshly.

"Well, what do I do?" I asked frantically.

"Get it's attention!" he hissed.

The shadow growled as it crept up on Zak. I knew if I yelled for Zak, it would attack him. I had to get its attention, but how do you call a demonic dog creature? Whistle?  
I didn't want that _thing_ after him. I didn't want it to mark him again. If anything, why not come after me? It was scared of me. Well...it should me scared of me. No one fucks with Zak without me getting in the middle of it!

"Hey!" I shouted, my voice echoing all through the tunnel.

Aaron and Zak turned to me. When Zak turned around, his eyes widened in horror. The shadow figure stopped and growled.

"Come at me, bro! You cowardly sack of shit!" I provoked.

"Michael, stop!" Zak shouted.

Too late! The shadow rushed me. I couldn't help but scream as I took off blindly through the basement. I could hear it rumbling behind, like a freight train in the distance. I felt freezing cold creep up on my back, making pump my legs and run faster. I guess all that practice of outrunning (trying to) Zak was paying off. However, a snap of canine chops from behind me told me otherwise. The only thing I could think, was "shit!"  
I felt a force throw my right into the wall. My arms were thrown up by my head and I felt like I had whiplash. My body was completely frozen. I couldn't move. It was hard to breath. Okay, I'm done being brave. Now I'm a little scared.

"Zak!" I shouted.

He and the boys could be heard throughout the cave-like basement. The invisible force pinning me to the wall growled at me. I could smell burnt flesh and I tried not to gag. God, this was like Lanark Nursing Home all over again!

"Michael!" I heard Zak shout.

Cold crept up the side of my face and neck, causing my muscles to go numb. I couldn't speak. Zak needed to touch me. It was the only way to scare of this demon, since it wasn't so scared of me anymore.

"Hey!" Zak roared.

I heard the demon snort. I could barely see Zak in the darkness, but I saw enough to see that his focus was not on me, but something else. He could see it.

"It's not her you want. It's me," he said.

The demon let go off me and I felt the cold rip away from me. Zak tore off running back down the tunnel, the creature on his heels.

"Zak!" I shouted after him.

"Mikey!" another voice shouted from beside me.

I screamed and swung my arms out. A flashlight came on to reveal a beard.

"It's just me," Aaron said.

"Oh, thank God!" I sighed in relief.

"Where did Zak go?" he asked.

"Aaron! Michael!" we heard Nick yell.

Aaron and I looked worriedly at each other before taking off in the direction of Nick's voice. We found him at the stairs that led back up the first floor.

"I can't find Zak anywhere!" Nick said worriedly.

Up above, we heard footsteps.

"Guys!" we heard Zak shout.

"Go, go, go!" Aaron exclaimed, shoving Nick and I towards the stairs.

"I'll radio Billy to turn the lights on," Nick said, "You two go after Zak."

Aaron and I nodded and ran upstairs. By the time reached the area by the bathrooms, Billy turned the lights on. Aaron and I blinked several times before looking around.

"We gotta find him fast. I don't want that thing possessing him again," I said.

"Well, look. We'll just have to split off. You go ahead and go upstairs. Nick and I will search downstairs and I'll send Billy up with you," Aaron suggested.

"Fine. But quickly!" I hissed.

"Gotcha!" Aaron said.

Aaron and then split off. I ran to the stairs and barreled up them.

"Zak!" I shouted.

Nothing. I ran down the hall and into the nosebleeds, but I didn't see anyone or anything. Panic began to settle in. What if it had gotten him? What if he was frozen or dead?  
I ran back out into the hallway and was startled by a rumbling. I looked in a dark corner and tried to scream, but nothing came out. Large red eyes were staring at me, and for a second, I thought there were only red stage lights that had yet to be installed. When they growled I knew I was wrong.

"Billy?" I asked.

I couldn't hear anyone. I was alone.

"Zak! Billy! Guys!" I shouted.

I took off running back into the seats. I jumped over the plastic fold-out chairs, trying to find somewhere to go. I finally made it to the section against the wall parallel to the stage. I jumped over the second row of chairs and huddled down in the floor. It was not the best hiding place in the world, but it was the only thing I could think of to do.  
I ducked down and carefully peeked over the chairs. Where was Billy? Shouldn't he have made it up here by now?  
Out two sections over, I saw the shadow. It was slowly creeping towards me. It saw me. It knew where I was. I backed up into the wall. That's when I dawned on me. There was no escape. I would have been safe had I not done what Zak constantly told me not to do: open myself up to them. Now, I was vulnerable. It knew I was scared. I was screwed. I wanted to jump up and run, but that was asking for it. I wanted to scream for the guys, but I was too scared it would make the shadow move faster. Where were they? Why hadn't Billy made it upstairs? Were Nick and Aaron okay? And what about Zak? Was Jay seeing any of this?  
The demon crawled over the section beside the one I was hiding in. I was screwed! There was no way out. Time was up.

"GUYS!" I screamed bloody murder.

The only response I got was a demonic laugh. Shit.

The demon began to crawl across the aisle. I couldn't repel it. Sure I was wearing protective jewelry, but that didn't work with this guy. I needed Zak. I was powerless without him.  
As the demon crept closer, it suddenly stopped. I looked up to see Nick tear down the aisle and jump in front of the demon.

"Don't touch her!" he shouted.

"Nick!" I exclaimed.

Stomping came from above me, and steadily grew closer. I screamed when a figure jumped over the seats and crashed through a seat, breaking the fold-out and smashing it in the floor with familiar gray Supras. I fell to its knees and scooped me up.

"Zak!" I shouted, reaching my arms around him.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" he asked.

"I'm fine. Are _you_ okay?" I asked, cupping his jaw and feeling his neck and shoulders for injuries.

"I'm alright, Mikey," he said.

"Guys! A little help?" Nick asked.

Zak took my hands and helped me to my feet.

"When I say so, grab my hand," he whispered.

I looked up into his eyes and nodded. He nodded his head once and turned around, keeping me back with his arm. Billy and Aaron appeared in the doorway at the top of the aisle.

"Nick, run!" Zak commanded.

Nick quickly ducked out of the way, but he didn't go far. Zak began to walk forward towards the demon. I slowly followed behind, hiding behind his taller form. What was his plan?

"You want me?" Zak snarled.

I heard a growl.

"You want my soul?" he went on, "You can't _fucking_ have it!"

The demon snorted. I could feel the temperature around my feet grow colder and colder.

"Zak," I said.

"Michael, I want you to do something. Fill your head with anything and everything that's positive. Overload your mind with it," he whispered over his shoulder.

I just nodded and looked down, concentrating. I closed my eyes and let all of my happiest memories wash over my mind. I thought about all of the fun I had had with the boys. I thought about the first time Zak kissed me and told me he loved me. I thought about our wedding day and night. I thought about every time we were alone, enjoying each other's company. I thought about this weekend. I let everything flood over me. I could hear nothing but the boys' laughter in my ears-until Zak broke my trance.

"Michael, grab my hand!"

I opened my eyes and grabbed Zak's hand. Zak stumbled backwards before a blueish-white light flashed in front of him. A nasty scream echoed throughout the theater's walls.

"Come on!" Zak urged.

I followed Zak down and out into the aisle. Nick joined us as we ran over to the railing. When we looked over the the first floor, the shadow demon disappeared within the floor below.

"Back to hell with you," Zak said darkly.

I stared at the bottom floor in shock. Did we really just send a demon back to hell? What was that light?

"What did we just do?" I asked.

Zak grabbed the railing and turned to me, one hand on his hip.

"I think we just one our first battle," he said.

My jaw dropped. I looked down where the shadow disappeared, then back up at Zak.

"We did it?" I asked in disbelief.

Zak giggled at my surprise.

"Yeah, we did it," he said happily.

"It's gone?" Nick asked.

Zak and I looked up at Nick.

"Yeah, for now. This isn't a permanent fix, but now it knows that we can fight it back," Zak said confidently.

"How did you do that, though?" I asked.

Zak lifted his hand and flipped it back and forth.

"Just an explosion of positive energy. It touched me and got thrown straight back to hell," he said.

"Dude!" Aaron and Billy said at the same time.

"That was awesome!" Aaron said, laughing a relieved laugh.

Zak looked down at me and smiled.

"Now, we know what to do," he said.

"But..." I trailed off.

I still didn't fully understand what happened.

"How did you know to do that?" I asked.

Zak just shrugged.

"It was just a gut feeling," he replied.

"Well, whatever just happened, all of us need to learn how to do that," Nick said.

"Damn straight!" Aaron agreed.

"I can't believe you did that!" Billy said.

"I can't believed that worked," I said.

"And you didn't get attacked this time or anything, bro!" Aaron said excitedly.

Zak smiled and nodded.

"We're getting stronger. We're going to win this. I told you, Michael," Zak said.

I walked into him and hugged him tightly. Zak held me tightly and buried his face into the top of my head.

"I told you," he softly repeated.

Xxx

After the hellacious ordeal, the guys and I finished up the investigation without further problems. Aaron got some amazing EVPs in the basement, and I caught a misty apparition in the hallway near the bathrooms, the same place where Zak had sensed a presence before a spider interrupted us. We believe it was a good spirit, scared and hiding in the bathrooms until it felt safe again. We got very little responses out of it, but Zak believes we helped it cross over. I hope so, too. I felt so bad for the innocent people who came to the theater for refuge and received the opposite. Zak had a hard time with an EVP we got in the basement. In the same spot where I had felt that intense heat and had to leave, we receive the voice of what we believed to be a young man, who begged for our help. We did what we could do and said all we could think of to comfort the spirit. I only hope that the poor soul found the light.  
All in all, we felt pretty good about the lockdown. Other than chasing off a damn demon, we had a pretty good time at the Brady Theater and learned a lot about Tulsa's darkest moment from the other side. I felt good about the success of the investigation as we were unlocked at sunrise. I learned a lot about what I never got to learn, for the Riots are omitted from Oklahoma History textbooks. It gave me a whole new perspective on the location. In the future, I was ready to come back and do a follow-up investigation.  
At the hotel, Zak and I were pumped. For some reason after theater lockdowns, we found it hard to go to sleep. So, Zak suggested we go ahead and go down to the lobby and get breakfast. We invited the guys, but they were too exhausted. We let them go ahead and get some sleep, since we had to get up at three and head to Rentiesville this afternoon. So, Zak and I went alone, grabbed a bite, then headed back to our room to catch some shut-eye.  
After Zak had his shower, I had mine and got ready for bed. Exhaustion was finally beginning to catch up with me. I could barely hold my eyes open as I brushed my teeth. After getting ready, I shut off the bathroom light and walked back out into the bedroom. I walked over to the table by the TV where Zak had his cell phone charging and plugged in my own. After hooking it up, I turned to see Zak approaching me.

"Hey, there," I said.

Zak smiled warmly and slipped his arms around my waist. He tilted his head down and kissed me deeply. I grasped his biceps and kissed him back. At the instance of connection, there was an energy surge between us that I had never felt before, but it excited us, causing the kiss to deepen. When we broke away to breathe, I was panting.

"What was that for?" I asked, surprised.

Zak just smiled as he cupped my face in those large hands of his.

"Come," was all he said.

He led me over to the bed. We climbed in, Zak pulling the covers up over us. I scooted over to him and put my head on his shoulder. Zak tilted his head over to look at me. I closed my eyes as he stroked my cheek with the back of his index finger.

"You know, any girlfriend I have had since I started Ghost Adventures have left me for one reason and one reason only. Once they found out how had issues with demonic activity, they always left and I never heard from them again," Zak said sadly, "I know they were scared and didn't understand, but I always thought I would be left alone in the end. I am just so very grateful to have met you, sweetie."

I propped myself up on an elbow and looked down at him. Zak watched me sleepily as I reached down and stroked his cheek. Zak smiled and nodded as he reached up to hold the side of my neck.

"You don't have to live in fear anymore. At least, not alone, okay? I married you for one reason, and that's because I love you. Demons are not going to change my mind," I said.

I leaned down and kissed him.

"Thank-you," Zak whispered.

"You're welcome," I replied.

I laid back down, my head on his shoulder and my hand on his chest. Zak tilted his head down and kissed the top of my head.

"I'll never leave you," I said softly.

Zak wrapped one strong arm around my waist. He reached his other hand up and intwined our fingers on his chest. We soon fell asleep, no longer scared. We weren't helpless, and we had hope that we would come out on top victorious.


	26. Calm Before the Storm

**Zak's Point of View**

A static charge shot across the blankets and through my toes. It slowly crawled up my legs. The atmosphere of the room changed, and I knew that Mikey and I were not alone.  
I opened my eyes and saw nothing but a dimly lit room. I heard nothing but the soft hum of the air conditioner and Michael's breathing. There was a strange charge to the air, though. Something was in here. Had something from the Brady Theater followed us? I wouldn't be surprised if it did.  
I rolled over onto my back and stretched. I looked over to the foot of the bed. I couldn't see that far, but there was something blurry standing at the corner. It then moved closer where I could see it better. I was relieved to find that it wasn't a spirit from the Brady, or even a demon. This ghost had been following me for a while, and since our last trip to the Winchester Mystery House, I thought she was gone forever. This ghost was the same little girl I knew Michael had seen at home. I was surprised that she had not crossed over, but I was glad that she was showing herself to me.  
She was very faint, almost invisible, and probably would be to the untrained eye. As she stood in front of me, I could make out her features. From what I saw, I was shocked. This little girl looked almost exactly like Michael! Everything from her dark, curly hair, to her lips and nose. Everything was almost a miniature form of Michael, except for the cheekbones and eyes. These eyes were blue, and I knew those eyes better than anyone, because I saw their reflection every day. In some way, some how, I knew who I was looking at.

"Hello, Little One," I whispered.

Her face, which had remained blank since I woke up, contorted with pain. She looked down and bit her lip. She made no noise, but I could see her shake as she tried not to cry.

"It's okay, sweetie," I whispered.

I hoped my speaking to the girl wasn't interrupting Michael's sleeping, but as I looked down, Michael was sleeping soundly with her mouth wide open and drooling on my shirt. She was out!  
I looked back up at the ghost. She looked so sad and helpless. I wanted to do something to help her. Anything.  
Just then, she reached her small hand up and looked at me intently. I pulled my arm out from under the sheets and held my palm out. I was surprised when she set her hand in mine. A faint jolt of spiritual energy shoot up my arm, causing me to break out in goosebumps. The girl had ghostly tears streaming down her cheeks. I wasn't sure what was going on, but I was starting to lose control of my own emotions.

"I'm...trying," she whispered.

I nodded and closed my hand around her icy fingers. It felt just like anyones hands, save for the body temperature.

"I know, sweetie. I know," I replied.

She nodded and looked down at Michael. She seemed to cry harder as she reached for Michael's shoulder. Michael didn't stir, but I saw goosebumps rise on her arm. The girl then reached down and hugged me. I couldn't stop the tears streaming down my face.

"Thank-you," I whispered.

The ghost girl straightened up and let go of my hand. As she turned away, she morphed into an orb of blueish-white light and shot up through the ceiling. The air in the room returned to normal then. I laid my head back on the pillow. I didn't want her to go. I wanted her to stay. I had questions. What did this mean? Where did she go? Was she really who I thought she was? I can't be dreaming, right?  
All I knew was, when she left, I felt a blissful peace I had not felt since the spirit of Anna Corbin partially possessed me and led me away from the dark energy Aaron, Nick and I had accidentally gotten in to at Preston Castle years ago.  
I looked down at Michael and wrapped my arms around her as if she were a stuffed animal.

"Zak," Michael mumbled.

"What, sweetie?"

"Can't. Breathe," she replied.

I shifted, allowing her more room around her head.

"Sorry," I apologized.

Michael looked up at me and smiled sleepily before laying her head back down and falling asleep. I closed my eyes and fell asleep too, but only to dream of the ocean and my daughter's hand holding mine.

Xxx  
**Michael's Point of View**

I walked outside with Billy and Aaron, helping carry cases out to the truck. When the doors to out front slid open, I screamed.

"Can it get any colder?" I barked out.

A couple walking in with their suitcases just stared at me like I was crazy. It was hot as hell today!

"I think this is the hottest it's been since we got here," Billy said.

I nodded in agreement.

"The Weather Channel said it was going to be 90 today," Aaron said.

I let out a pained cry.

"It's only June! What the hell Oklahoma?" I asked.

After loading the equipment, we found loading all six of us a lot harder. We all could fit, but not comfortably. We found this out the hard way when I drove them to dinner, and we had yet to find the perfect seating chart. With Nick being so long-legged, Zak so broad, and Billy and Jay being kind of bigger guys, I had to figure out a way to fit them all like puzzle pieces. It actually wouldn't have been such a hard decision, had Zak not insisted on being in the front.

"Who is the smallest? Let's start there," Nick suggested.

"Michael is, but she's driving," Zak said.

I shook my head.

"I think Aaron is technically the smallest," I said.

Aaron put his hands on his hips.

"Damn right!" he said in a valley girl accent.

I smiled and shook my head.

"I don't care where I go," Jay said, "I can sit in the back with the cases. I don't care."

I smiled at Jay and patted him on the back.

"I'm not going to make you do that. We'll just throw Zak's ass in the back with the cases," I said.

Zak looked like he was going to kill me.

"I'm kidding," I said.

Zak rolled his eyes and looked back at his phone. I then turned to Nick.

"Nick, would you be more comfortable in the front?" I asked.

"I'm good wherever," he said.

"Just gotta remember, Zak takes up to most room in the car," Billy said.

Zak scoffed at Billy.

"I do not!" he exclaimed.

"Whatever, bro! You were spread eagle with your feet hanging out the window on the way here!" Aaron argued.

"I had to stretch my legs! Michael wouldn't pull over so we could get out and move!" Zak snapped back.

"She was trying to get us here on time!" Aaron argued.

While Aaron and Zak argued, I was staring at the seats and trying to figure out how I was going to do this.

"Okay, guys! Shut up!" I ordered.

Aaron and Zak closed their mouths and looked at me. I climbed into the driver's seat and turned around to face the back.

"Jay, right side. Back seat," I said.

Jay walked around the truck and did as he was told.

"Aaron, middle. Nick, behind me. Billy, you get shotgun and Zak, your ass is in the middle," I said.

The boys climbed into their assigned seats and buckled up.

"Mikey! For the love of God, turn the air on!" Aaron whined.

"I'm working on it, bro. Hush. Are you guys buckled?" I asked.

I received a collection of various forms of yes as I buckled myself in.

"How come Zak is never in the back?" Billy asked.

"I get car sick," Zak replied.

"No you don't!" Nick argued.

Oh my God! I can feel a headache coming on. It was like listening to a bunch of teenagers!

"Nick, I really don't want to test it. Zak, if you aren't good, I'm promoting Aaron to the front. You understand?"

Zak looked at me and gave me a boyish smile.

"Yes, Mikey," he said.

Billy chuckled.

"He really wants to keep that front seat, doesn't he?" he asked.

Zak's head snapped over to Billy.

"Bill, I have to listen to her. She's my wife. She's the boss!"

As I started the truck, I burst out laughing. Billy and Nick both began mock crying.

"Oh God, it's happened!" Nick cried as he leaned forward to grab Zak by the shoulders.

"We've lost him! She has the boy whipped!" Billy cried.

"Guys, quit it," Zak said in a more serious tone.

I reached over and turned on the air conditioner.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked.

Another collection of yeses.

"Okay. I want to make one stop and get some bug spray. I don't want to get out there and get swarmed with chiggers or ticks," I said.

"We need to restock on water, too, babe," Zak reminded me.

I nodded as I put the truck in reverse and backed out of the parking lot.

"We can do that. Might as well pick up dinner, too. There's a couple of drive-thru's on the way to the turnpike," I said.

I looked both ways as I pulled out onto the street.

"Are there no restaurants? I'm so tired of drive-thru," Zak complained.

"Zak, I know, but this is just easier. What time are we supposed to be meeting this guy?" I asked.

"5:00," Zak replied.

I looked at the digital clock on the radio.

"It's 3:30 now. We'll probably make it just in time. We really don't have time to stop anywhere," I said.

Zak sighed, slightly annoyed. He wanted a full meal, and believe me, I did too, but we wouldn't make it to the lockdown in time if we stopped.

"I promise we'll go get a good breakfast in the morning," I said, trying to pacify him.

"Sweetie, it's okay. I'm just hungry," he said.

"Oh hell, Mikey!" Aaron exclaimed, "Hurry and feed him!"

I laughed and shook my head.

"We'll stop in B.A. and get some food. We gotta go through there anyway," I said, gritting the last sentence through my teeth.

Zak looked down at me. I could feel his mood change.

"We have to?" he asked.

I nodded.

"It's okay. Gotta go back some time," I said.

Zak sighed. The atmosphere in the cab changed. It felt tense, and I wasn't sure if it was all of the boys or just Zak. I decided not to let the short trip through my hometown get me down. I would say anything positive about it that I could think of. I didn't want them to get the wrong idea about the town, since it wasn't the town who hurt me. Just the events that happened there.  
After stopping at Walmart and picking up food for the guys, we got on the B.A. Expressway to head towards Muskogee-yet another town I had an issue with because of Graham, but I didn't dare bring that up.  
As we left Broken Arrow, a large house on a hill near the highway caught my eye. For several miles along the highway, large houses and neighborhoods could be seen. A house with a large archway in front of the doorway and a circle drive could be seen for miles. Even from here, I could see a familiar silver Mercedes.  
I nudged Zak and pointed to the house. Zak was taking a bit out of his sandwich. He grunted and looked up, shredded lettuce hanging out of his mouth.

"You dork," I commented.

Zak pulled a napkin from between his legs and wiped his mouth off.

"What is it?" he asked.

I pointed to the house.

"You see that big o' house up there?" I asked.

Zak looked up and nodded.

"Oh! Yeah. What about it?" he asked.

"That's my parents' house. That's where I grew up," I said.

Zak looked at me, surprised.

"That place is huge! You lived there?" he asked incredulously.

I smiled and nodded.

"If they knew I was driving right by, they'd flip shit," I said.

Zak smiled and looked up at the house in fascination. I'm sure that my parents would keel over and die, had they known that I was now married without them knowing and had been pregnant once. They'd kill me. Actually, one look at Zak and I'm sure my mother would have a heart attack. And I'm sure Zak would have a mouthful to say to them, especially my mom, what with they way she talked to me on the phone last time we spoke.  
Zak looked down at me, watching me and trying to read me. I glanced up at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Does it feel weird? You know, passing by?" he asked.

I shrugged. It didn't feel as bad as I previously thought it would. I mean, I didn't belong to them anymore. They had no say in my life. I had a home, the most amazing job, wonderful friends, and the best husband in the world. I didn't feel the least bit homesick.

"I kind of want to drive up there and rub my life in their faces," I said darkly.

Zak chuckled and put an arm around me.

"One day they'll see and then it'll click with them. They'll regret how they treated you and realize how wonderful you are," he said.

This would be one of those times where I would usually pop off and say something, but a deep blush prevented me from saying anything. Zak leaned down and kissed my cheek, making my body temperature shoot up.

"Thank-you," I said quietly.

I glanced up at him to be greeted with his beautiful smile.

"You're welcome, Mikey," he said.

Xxx  
**Outer edge of Muskogee**

"Dude! What's that?" Billy asked, pointed to a large white truck and matching van with a satellite mounted on the top.

"Storm chasers," I replied with a shrug, "They're probably from Tulsa. I'd assume they're after that."

I pointed to the southeast, where a massive thunderhead was building. It was so hot, it was no wonder a storm had developed.

"Holy shit!" Zak shouted when he saw it.

"That's awesome!" Aaron said with a laugh, "Nick, take my phone and film that."

"What the hell? That looks like a nuclear explosion!" Zak exclaimed.

"Zak, it's just a thunderhead," I said.

Zak looked at me with wild eyes. That's when it hit me. I totally forgot what time of the year it was, and what that meant for this area of Oklahoma.

"That's scary looking, Michael. Guys, this is Mother Nature trying to tell us to turn around once again. We're in for one hell of a lockdown," he said.

I sighed. Zak wasn't going to like what I was about to say.

"If we even get to stay. It may be June, but this is Tornado Alley, and tornado season is not quite over," I said, excited undertones in my voice.

Zak looked terrified.

"Tornadoes?" Zak asked, his voice kicking up an octave.

I smirked and nodded.

"This shit gets me pumped up, too," I said as I watched the thunderhead in awe.

"You are fucking crazy, Michael!" Zak said.

I just grinned at him. Inside the storm, a flash of lightning set the clouds ablaze. Zak let out a squeak of astonishment. I leaned over to him.

"That's real Dracula weather, sweetheart," I said.

Zak looked from me to the rest of the Crew.

"We're gonna die, guys," he said.

Xxx

"Turn right on DC Minner Street, then turn left at the next section," Zak said, reading the directions from a text.

"Okay, that's right where the festival is," I said.

We were traveling down a gravel road, cutting through the small town of Rentiesville. I felt bittersweet nostalgia traveling down here. Patch used to bring me down here for their annual Blues festival, and it had always been my favorite concert of the year. It had been so long so I had been, and from the looks of the festival grounds, looked like they still used it.

"Boy, we are out in the middle of nowhere now, aren't we?" Billy asked.

"I know my way," I said, "I traveled all over as a kid. I know from Pryor, down to Checotah pretty well."

"I'm pretty sure we never would be able to even find Rentiesville by ourselves," Zak said.

I smiled at that.

"Okay, he'll be parked outside the gate to the land. He's driving a truck," Zak said as he read a new text.

"You don't know what kind?" I asked.

"He didn't say, sweetie. He just said 'Look for my truck. I'm parked in front of the gate.'"

"Okay. That works," I replied.

When we turned down the next section, there weren't many driveways and tons of farmland.

"I smell cows," Aaron said, making me laugh.

"I do, too," Nick agreed.

I rolled down the window and sniffed. I didn't smell anything but fresh air and dirt from the road.

"I smell poop," Zak said, then giggled because he said "poop."

"I don't smell anything, you guys. It's very faint," I said.

"If it rains, we'll be smelling it," Billy said.

I agreed.

"I think that's him," Zak said as his pointed a ringed finger out.

To the right of us sat an old, maybe 80's model work truck with a man in a gray cowboy hat standing nearby. When I got a good look at him, it was hard not to laugh. He was a big guy with long salt and pepper hair that was in a ponytail. He had a giant beer gut that his long sleeved, maroon button-up shirt could barely contain, Wranglers that made him look chicken-legged, and facial hair reminiscent of Colonel Sanders.

"He's scary, bro," Aaron said.

I pulled over next to the ditch, since I didn't have room to pull up into the driveway.

"Aaron, he's just an old rancher. Probably nothing to be scared of," I said.

"You guys got your cameras ready?" Zak asked Aaron and Nick over his shoulder.

"Already rollin', g," Nick replied.

I turned the key and shut off the truck.

"Okay, let's go do this," Zak said.

We piled out of the truck like clowns out of a clown car. I went with Billy and Jay to get our gear, while Zak went to go greet the land owner. After grabbing my equipment, I followed Billy back over to where Nick and Aaron were filming.

"Now, I thought there was only three of ya," the man asked.

Zak laughed.

"There's six of us. Sometimes all of us are in an episode, sometimes just Nick, Aaron and myself. It just depends. Let me introduce you," Zak said.

Oh God! I hate meeting people.

"This is Billy Tolley. He's our audio/visual tech. He watches monitors that we have our static-night vision cams hooked up to. He's our eye. He also monitors audio with Jay. He's our audio tech. He does audio for when we're filming bigger scenes and helps Billy out during investigations. And the short one that's hiding is our photographer, Michael Bagans. She does all of our still photography and photographic analysis. She'll probably be doing thermal tonight, though," Zak explained.

To prove that I wasn't being shy, even though I was, I made myself come out from behind Billy and shake hands with Colonel Sanders.

"Guys, this is Roger Mitchell. He's the one Jeff called me about. You say you've had problems with spirits on your land?" Zak asked.

Ah! Okay, Roger Mitchell. Not Colonel Sanders. I just hope I get that out of my head before I accidentally call him that.

"Ah, hell! You wouldn't believe what I've had goin' on here!" Mr. Mitchell said, then proceeded to take us in and show us around the field.

Apparently, the poor man had seen many apparitions of Native Americans, walking and on horseback, a family from the land run days, and even soldiers.

"Have you been able to find any history on the property?" Zak asked as we neared the center of the field.

"Let me tell ya, son. I have hunted and hunted for information. I've made hundreds of calls, I've searched the libraries around here. I've done it all and I've tried to provide information for you guys, but there isn't any!" Mr. Mitchell said.

"I know," Zak said, "Our researcher tried to find information and he had no such luck. But the thing is, when we can't find the answers written down in text, we can always go to the source."

Mr. Mitchell smiled at Zak.

"I like the way you work, boy. I really do. But, I'm gonna tell you what I think is goin' on here," Mr. Mitchell said.

Zak seemed intrigued.

"I think that this field is cemetery. I think there are bodies just below our feet and we don't know it!" Mr. Mitchell said in an enthusiastic, but hushed voice, as if he didn't want the spirits to hear us.

Zak seemed a little confused.

"You would think that the tombstones would still be here, though. I mean, I've been to cemeteries with tombstones that have there for hundreds of years," Zak said.

"Son," Mr. Mitchell said, throwing a thick arm around Zak's shoulders, "This is Oklahoma. We get wind, rain, hail, wildfires, dust storms, and tornadoes. Oklahoma doesn't naturally preserve its history. Let me tell ya!"

"It does sound plausible that this could be an unmarked cemetery. I've been up through the dirt roads here and saw several cemeteries with no name. Just small clumps of forgotten tombstones," I spoke up.

Mr. Mitchell stared at me in shock.

"I thought you guys were from Vegas?" he asked.

"Michael is from here. She's an Oklahoman," Zak replied.

"Ah, well, hell! I didn't know that," Mr. Mitchell said with a laugh.

Zak smiled.

"We're from everywhere. Nick is from New Hampshire. I'm from Florida. Aaron is from Oregon. We came from all over," Zak said, "Michael, you've explored here?"

"Patch used to take me to all the haunted cemeteries to scare me. That was our Halloween thing. I know Oktaha is loaded with cemeteries no one ever thinks about. That's just North of here," I said.

"Oh, Oklahoma is full of mysteries," Mr. Mitchell said, "I would love for you guys to uncover the one in this spot. These spirits are one hell of a handful. This is their land, and they're gonna let you know it."

In the distance, thunder cracked, echoing all over the country side.

"Shit," Mr. Mitchell said, "I better get a move on. I got a herd of cattle that need to be moved and I need to get on it before it starts stormin'. You guys have fun out here. If it does get bad, there's a barn."

We looked to see a dilapidated barn off near the woods that surrounded the property. We then said goodbye to Mr. Mitchell and began our wait for the sun to go down.

"Hey, I'm going to see if I can get the forecast. That storm is looking bad," Billy said.

I looked to the storm growing closer. It was so dark and terrifying...I loved it!

"What happens if there is a tornado?" Nick asked.

"I'm not going into that barn if there's a tornado. I've seen _Twister_," Aaron said.

I crossed my arms.

"What you're supposed to do is duck into a ditch, but if I see a tornado, I'm getting in the truck and hauling ass out of here. If you're not in the truck, you better locate your nearest ditch," I said.

Nick and Zak laughed at me.

"Still, better keep an eye out." Nick said.

All of us nodded in agreement. I had never seen a tornado before, and even though a part of me always wanted to catch a glimpse of one, I really didn't want one interrupting our investigation.

"Okay, guys," Zak said loudly and clapped his hands together, "While Billy goes and checks the forecast, let's use this time to set up before it gets dark on us. We gotta move fast, so let's go."

With that, we all split off excitedly like little kids getting ready for an Easter egg hunt, except the eggs were ghosts!

Xxx  
There isn't much I get on to Zak for, unless he's pestering me or giving Ernie hell. Other than that, he's pretty well behaved. Whatever he does, I just go along with it. He's our leader, and we have to listen to him. We get our say at times, but Zak manages to always get his way. However, one thing that I will get onto him for is being a butt and not helping set up. He has a habit of just standing back and watching. Mind you, he doesn't do it all the time, but when he does, I usually say something. Tonight was one of those nights where he was "supervising" instead of helping Billy or Aaron. Nick, Jay, and I had our gear set and ready. Zak had his equipment on him, but I'm sure the boys could have used an extra hand.  
Zak was standing in the field with his back towards me. I had been taking pictures of the incoming storm and several shots of the barn before I turned around to look at him. He was wearing his usual tight black t-shirt (though this one was V-neck), army green cargo pants that almost fit his ass, and black Supras, and his protective jewelry with a pair of aviators dangling from his collar. Okay, he looked amazing. I can't go without mentioning that. If I were male, I think I'd be jealous. I would be jealous now, but I got a kick out of him taking more time to get ready than I did.  
Zak was watching Aaron and Nick with his arms crossed and his feet apart, watching his team like a hawk. I walked over to him and stood beside him. I was silent for a moment before I decided to speak.

"Why don't you ever help them?" I asked.

"Um, have you seen how OCD Aaron is about some of the equipment?" he asked, his eyes wide and dramatic.

I giggled at him.

"Not really," I replied and crossed my arms.

"He freaks out on me every time!" Zak griped.

"Well, Zak, you pester the hell out of the guy. I'm not surprised he nuts out," I said.

Zak sighed.

"He knows I'm joking with him, though," he said.

I smirked at him, causing him to raise a perplexed eyebrow.

"What?" he asked.

My smirk morphed into a smile.

"It's like when I give you a hard time, and you flip out on me. Like that time with your phone," I said.

"Michael, you agitate me constantly!"

"Because I love your reaction! You get all worked up and frustrated for no reason and it's just funny," I said.

Zak looked down at me, a smile slowly forming.

"You're just a little shit," he said.

I laughed at that.

"So I've been told," I said cockily.

Zak chuckled and moved behind me. I put my arms back down in anticipation. As if he could read my mind, or I could read his, Zak wound his arms around me. I held the massive arms holding me as he leaned down and kissed my cheek. I turned my head and smiled as he began to trail kisses down my neck and to my shoulder. I suddenly felt like Morticia from _The Addams Family_.

"Have you been watching _The Addams Family_ again?" I asked.

Zak lifted up my arm to continue his kissing trail.

"Gomez gives me good ideas," he said.

I jumped and started laughing when Zak's lips reached the bend of my arm.

"Okay, stop. That tickles," I said as I laughed.

Zak let my arm fall and he returned to holding me from behind and nuzzling his nose into my hair.

"It feels good out here, now that the wind has picked up," Zak said.

"I know," I agreed.

Zak pulled away and took my left hand. I turned around to see a mischievous smile on his face.

"Come," he said, leading me in the direction of the barn.

"What? Are we gonna go make out or something?" I asked sarcastically.

Zak just smiled and shrugged.

"Only if you wanna," he said cheekily.

I smiled at him and let him lead me into the old barn for some pre-lockdown exploring.

Xxx

Aaron sprinted the several yards between him and Nick and accidentally slid on the green grass, almost crashing into Nick.

"What the hell, Aaron?" Nick asked, a little frustrated with his co-investigator.

"Aaron's Vlog," Aaron announced.

Nick sighed and smiled.

"Aaron's Vlog!" he sang happily.

"We're at here on location, waiting for the sun to go down," Aaron said to the camera, "Nick, I just saw Michael and Zak disappear into the barn. Let's go see what they're up to."

"Oh, Aaron! Come on! I'm sure they wanna be left alone," Nick said.

"No way, dude! They had all day to be alone. Let's go!" Aaron said.

"Fine!" Nick groaned.

Aaron smiled victoriously and began to walk with his friend across the field.

"Zak isn't going to do anything, anyway," Aaron said.

Nick made a "pfft" noise.

"It's not Zak you have to worry about," Nick said.

Aaron sighed. This time, he didn't have Gracie to save him.

Xxx

Using his phone as a flashlight, Zak pried open the wooden latch on the window doors and pushed them open. With a forceful shove on both doors, the rust in the metal hinges broke free and the doors remained open on their own. Zak smiled, proud of himself as he sat down on the sill. I sat opposite of him as we held hands between us.

"Don't get any ideas and fall out of this," Zak jokingly.

"Is that why you're about to snap my hand off?" I asked.

He did have an extremely tight grip on my hand.

"Sorry," he apologized as he loosened his grip.

Zak leaned his head back against the window frame and looked out at the storm. I turned my head to see long, vicious bolts of lightning streak across the sky. Thunder then exploded and literally rattled the old barn. I jumped several times. Zak laughed at me.

"What? I used to be scared of thunderstorms," I admitted.

Zak looked surprised.

"Really?" Zak asked.

I nodded.

"I'm not scared anymore. I mean, it's just an atmospheric discharge. Still, I haven't heard thunder like that in years!" I said.

Zak smiled.

"It's so awesome. I love the sounds out here. The birds and crickets with the thunder. It's so awesome! We don't hear that at home," he said.

I nodded in agreement. We did hear birds in Vegas, but I missed hearing the crickets and tree frogs at night. All we usually heard were dogs, cars, and airplanes. Yet another thing I didn't like too much about Vegas.  
Zak glanced up sadly at me.

"Do you miss it, sweetie?" he asked.

I looked over at him.

"Oklahoma? Nah. I just miss the sounds," I replied.

Zak nodded.

"I understand that," he said.

Zak looked back out over the hunting land. I looked over to him. He looked so at peace. He had this serene look on his face. I couldn't really describe it, but it was beautiful. It was the same look he had when we took our trip to Gettysburg one summer with Nick. This field seemed to hold that same dark romanticism that the old battlefields of Pennsylvania. Is it crazy that I find the paranormal world strangely romantic?

"I uh...I had a visitor earlier today," Zak said.

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. What kind of visitor?

"Who?" I asked.

Zak held my hand with both of his and rubbed small circles into the top with his thumbs.

"You remember my attachment? The little girl ghost?" he asked.

I felt my eyes bug out and my jaw drop.

"I thought she crossed over! She came back?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, Michael! She came back!" Zak said excitedly.

"What? Come on! Tell me what happened? Did she show herself to you? Wait! Was this a dream or were you awake?" I asked, now just as excited as he was.

"I was awake. I think she woke me up. I don't know, but I sensed her. At first, I thought someone from the theater had followed us, but when I rolled over, there she was. She was very faint. She didn't have much energy left, but she managed to fully manifest. She came over to me and I got a closer look at her. She started crying and she held my hand. It was amazing, but I felt so bad for her. I wanted to help her, but I didn't know what to do. But then, she spoke!"

"No way!" I exclaimed.

"It was just a whisper, but she said that she was trying. She's still trying to help us, Michael!"

"I thought she couldn't help us anymore?" I asked.

"Maybe we were the only ones that were strong enough to fight off the demon. She may have had enough energy long enough to let us know that we needed to fight it ourselves. Maybe she didn't cross over because she feels bad about it. Maybe she regrets not being able to help, so she's trying to find another way. I don't know. But, Mikey, she hugged me," Zak said.

My jaw hit the floor.

"And I could feel her! It was like hugging a real, physical person...a person that's ice cold. Michael, you're gonna think I'm nuts," Zak said.

"Because you hugged a ghost? Zak, I was raped by a ghost! I doubt anything you say is going to sound crazy to me," I said.

"Michael, first, don't bring that up. You know how I feel about that still," Zak said.

I hung my head.

"Sorry," I apologized.

Zak reached over and grasped my chin, tilting my head up to make me look at him.

"Sweetie, it's okay. But listen, this is going to sound crazy. Just bear with me," Zak said.

I nodded.

"She looked just like you, Mikey," he said.

I narrowed my eyes, not fully understanding.

"She looked like you, except smaller. The same hair, same nose...everything except the eyes," Zak explained.

"Zak! When I saw her in the house, I swore she had your eyes but I didn't think too much of it. I thought it was my imagination!"

"Mikey, I saw it, too. You know what I think?" he asked.

"What?" I asked, eager to hear his opinion.

"I think...I think that she is her, Michael. The little girl..." Zak trailed off and looked down.

I scooted down the window sill to sit in front of him. I put my hand on his cheek and gave the hand I was holding a reassuring squeeze. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say, but even to me, it did seem crazy.

"She's our little girl, Mikey," Zak said softly.

"Zak, how can that be?" I asked, "I mean, I'm not disagreeing with you, but sweetheart, we started seeing her before I was pregnant."

"But what if that's how souls work, Michael? You've heard that stupid 'twinkle in the eye' saying. What if, somehow, it's true? What if they exist somewhere else, then they become physical, then we die and they go to the plane of existence we investigate? Maybe she was an angel or something? They say children are a gift. A miracle, even. What if that crap is true, but on a spiritual level?"

I looked down away from Zak. His theory made sense, but still. Could she really have been our little one?

"Michael, it makes sense. Remember what she said at Winchester Mystery House. That she had-"

"Had yet to live!" I said, interrupting him, "Holy shit, Zak!"

Zak nodded.

"Some way, sweetie, somehow, that's her. You had dreams about her. You knew deep down she was a girl. She's following me around, trying to keep me safe-keep us safe," he said.

"And she told us that almost right after she...after I had surgery," I said.

Zak nodded again.

"You said so yourself. Death is not the end. We didn't lose her," Zak said.

I nodded and reached up to hug him.

"When we get home, we'll see if we can draw her out and talk to her. I still have so many questions," Zak said.

"Me too," I said quietly.

Zak leaned back so he could look at me in the fading light. He cupped my face and pressed his lips to mine. I had so many questions, too.

"_Zak, come in_."

"Disembodied voices!" I playfully shouted.

Zak smiled and broke away from me. He reached down to his belt and pulled out his walkie-talkie.

"Whatcha need, Bill?" Zak asked.

"_You guys gotta come take a look at this. We may be in for something big_," Billy replied.

Zak looked at me with worried eyes.

"_And by the way, Nick and Aaron are spying on you guys. They're right below you_."

Zak and I looked down to see Aaron and Nick smile innocently and wave. Zak rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, guys. We may be having to take cover pretty quick," Zak said.

Nick and Aaron nodded and turned to leave. Zak and I stood and as I began to follow him out of the hayloft, thunder exploded in the distance. Somehow, I knew we were in for it.


	27. Dark Side of Me

"_Oh, this has become hell  
How can I share this life  
With someone else?  
I promise you  
There is no weight that can bury us  
Beneath the ghosts of all my guilt  
Here in the dark side of me_"  
-"Dark Side of Me" by Coheed and Cambria

Near the front gate, Billy and Jay had a nerve center set up underneath a tent. I knew if the wind picked up, that tent would be gone. It didn't matter if it was staked down well or not. It would fly away if the wind caught it just right.

"What's going on, Bill?" Zak asked as we walked inside the tent.

Billy had his laptop out and the local weather channel's website pulled up.

"Where's Porum at?" Billy asked me.

I had to think about that one. I tried to think if maybe I had been there for a football game before, but I couldn't remember.

"I believe it's south of Warner, and that's not far from here. Why?" I asked.

"They've had two reported touchdowns of a tornado. Now, I don't know if it's the same tornado or two different ones, but this system we're looking at is active," Billy said.

I jumped in front of him and scooted his laptop to me.

"Where is the system right now?" I asked.

"They said it was on I-40, southwest of Warner. They've shut the highway down," Billy said.

I began clicking away on links in search of the radar. I wanted to see which way this storm was headed. If it was what I thought, we were in for it.  
I brought up the storm tracking map and squinted, trying to read and remember where the towns were located. The system itself was massive, and took up most of the map.

"Holy shit," I said, "This thing is going to go right passed us. It looks like it's heading north up into Wainwright. It'll go right between here and Oktaha."

"Where's that at?" Billy asked.

"About 20 minutes from here. Guys, we're going to get some rain, for sure," I said.

Billy looked up at Zak.

"What should be do, bro? I mean, this thing will be out of here in a good hour or so. Should we wait?" Billy asked.

"She would leave?" Nick asked.

"No, let's just stay put. Let's go ahead and start the investigation. Don't set up any X-cams yet. Let's see. Let's go ahead and just go scout around, Aaron, Nick. Michael, I wanted you to do thermal, but that can wait. I want you to stay here with Billy and Jay. If it starts raining hard, we'll come back," Zak said, then turned to Nick and Aaron, "Guys, until this storm passes, let's not go past the barn, okay?"

Nick and Aaron nodded. The sun was gone, and the dusk light was blocked out by storm clouds. To the west were clouds and to the east were clouds. I felt like we were being surrounded. The sky was declaring battle-a battle we were not prepared for.

"If it starts hailing, you guys better head for the barn," Billy said.

"We will. Guys, let's get out there," Zak said.

Nick and Aaron nodded and turned around to leave the tent. Zak leaned down and lifted my chin up with his fingertips before kissing me.

"Love you. I'll call you if I want you out there," he said.

"Okay. Love you, too. Be careful. Keep an eye on that storm," I said.

Zak watched me with loving eyes. His fingers were still grasping my chin and a small smile played upon his lips. He leaned down and kissed my cheek before leaving me with Billy and Jay. I watched as Zak walked off to join Nick and Aaron. It was hard to see him as we walked away, his shoes, t-shirt, and hair blending in with the darkness. I only saw him again when the lightning lit up the field.

"That was eerie," Jay commented.

"Yeah, that was really creepy," Billy agreed.

"That's going to be the only way we see a tornado, too. Unless it's rain-wrapped. Then, we're really fucked," I said as I sat down in a chair beside Billy.

I had this horrific image in my mind. I feared looking up from watching the radar on Billy's laptop to see lightning illuminate the field, the boys, and a funnel beyond the trees. It was like seeing your doppelgänger. If we saw a funnel coming down, it would be too late to run.  
A little while later, the wind suddenly died. Billy and Jay seemed to take no notice. I raised my head and nervously looked around. Everything was quiet except for the faint sound of thunder and Aaron and Zak's shouting. Billy chuckled.

"They found something," he said.

Out in the field, I could hear Zak yelling for Nick to go, and I could see faint dots of light from the cameras flying across the field. Before the wind died, it had been blowing from the east. However, when the wind picked up again, it couldn't decide which direction it wanted to go.  
Jay pounced some pieces of paper that went flying across the table. Rain began to pelt down on the plastic roof of the tent. It was only a matter of time before it poured.

"_Hey, guys_?" Zak's voice asked from Billy's walkie-talkie.

Billy picked up his walkie as I went back to watching the radar. Most of the surrounding area was under a severe thunderstorm warning. I saw only one tornado watch for Warner, but it was about to expire. So far, everything for us seemed to be in the clear.

"Yeah, bro?" Billy asked.

"_Roger was not lyin' to us, bro. There is some crazy shit going on here_!" Zak said.

Billy laughed.

"Well, that's good, right?" he asked.

"_Oh yeah! I was just gonna tell ya that we're going to stay down here. If it starts raining hard, these spirits will come out like zombies. But, please tell us if we need to head back or anything. We can't see shit out here_."

"Can do," Billy said.

He placed the walkie-talkie down and looked over at the laptop screen.

"Anything to report, Captain?" he asked.

I smiled and shook my head.

"Nothing to report," I said.

The rain began to come down a little harder and the tent began to shake with the wind.

"We're going to get blown away," Jay said.

I leaned back in my chair and kicked off my sandals. I wasn't supposed to be wearing them, but I had planned on changing into my tennis shoes that were in the truck. However, with the rain, I didn't see a reason.

"Where are your shoes, Mikey?" Billy asked.

I pointed down into the grass. Billy just shook his head and smiled.

"You gonna go barefoot?" he asked.

"I plan on doing some puddle jumping here in a little bit," I said jokingly.

Billy laughed at me. Without monitors to watch or audio to analyze, we were totally bored.

"They get to have all the fun," Billy complained.

"When this storm passes, we can set up and have some fun," I said.

Jay was staring blankly at Billy's walkie-talkie when he suddenly jerked upright. Billy and I stared at him like he was crazy.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Jay looked horrified.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

Oh, please don't tell me it was a growl!

"Hear what?" I asked.

"Who could hear anything over this wind and rain?" Billy asked.

The rain suddenly became sharper and a sound similar to falling gravel could be heard coming from my truck.

"What the hell?" Billy asked.

I stood from my chair and squinted. Little white balls were falling from the sky.

"Shit! That's hail!" I exclaimed.

Jay grabbed Billy's arm.

"Listen!" he shouted.

Billy and I stood absolutely still. Over the rain, hail, and wind, we could hear sirens.

"Tornado sirens!" Billy exclaimed.

Jay, Billy and I jumped up in a frenzy.

"Get the stuff loaded! Billy, take my keys!" I said, stuffing my keys into his hand.

"What about the tent?" Jay asked.

"Forget it! Just grab the equipment and get in the truck!" I said.

Jay and Billy began scooping up armfuls of equipment. I grabbed a walkie-talkie.

"Zak! Guys, come in!" I shouted into the walkie.

No response.

"Guys!" I shouted again.

Nothing.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed.

Billy ran from the truck over to me.

"Billy, I can't get them. I'm going out there. Get in the truck and drive. Honk the horn. Do anything!" I said.

Billy nodded. With the equipment put up, I didn't have anything to see by, but I didn't care. I could now hear the sirens getting louder, their echo coming from all around. Forgetting my shoes, I took off running into the rain. I didn't care that I was barefoot. I had to find the boys.

"Zak! Nick! Aaron!" I screamed.

Nothing. This was so stupid! Where could they have gone? I just heard them shouting and running not too long ago! Why didn't they answer their walkie-talkies?

"Guys!" I screamed.

At the front gate, I heard the roar of my truck. The headlights came on and Billy honked over and over. I ran farther into the field. I couldn't see anything until the lightning flashed. All I could hear was the honking, the sirens, my rapid heartbeat, and what sounded like a freight train in the distance. Train? Yeah, right! Train to fucking Munckin Land!

"Michael!" I heard one of the boys scream.

I took off in the direction of the scream. Behind me, I could hear my truck, but I was too far away for Billy to see. Lightning flashed above me, letting me see where I was for a brief second. When the silhoutte of the barn appeared nearby, I nearly jumped out of my skin. This was like playing Slender Man. Any minute, a tall faceless creature in a tuxedo was going to come out and everything was going to go all static-y. My vision was already fuzzy.

"Mikey!" I heard Aaron shout.

I took off around the barn and ran right into the guys.

"Michael, what are you doing out here?" Nick asked, almost in a scolding tone.

"I came out here to find you! I can hear that tornado! We gotta move now!" I shouted.

"Let's go!" Nick said.

"Wait, where's Zak?" Aaron asked.

In my impatience, I shoved Nick aside. Zak was no where to be found.

"Shit! ZAK!" I screamed.

"What the fuck?" Nick shouted, "He was just here!"

The honking from my truck was growing louder. We didn't have much time left.

"Nick, go get in the truck! Tell Billy and Jay where we are. Mikey, let's go find Zak!" Aaron said, taking me by the arm.

Nick and I nodded and split off. Aaron and I took off running, but found we couldn't run very fast or straight at all. The rain was coming down in sheets and the wind now hurricane like. We were near the tree line and the barn-the most dangerous area in the field.

"ZAK!" I screamed.

I was shaking from fear and from the cold. Where was he? Had he fallen and gotten hurt? Had a spirit trapped him? Was our demon back?

"ZAK!" Aaron bellowed.

The truck started honking furiously. Lightning cracked across the sky. I used the brief moment to scan for Zak. At the back of the property, I could have sworn I saw a dark figure. I didn't know if it was my imagination, Zak, or maybe something paranormal, but I grabbed Aaron's hand and made a run for it.  
When we made it to the tree line, there was nobody.

"Oh my God!" I cried out, "Where the hell is he, Aaron? Why wasn't he with you?"

I was beginning to freak out. This could not be a repeat of Romania. Not again, and not with a gosh damn tornado!

"I don't know, Michael! He was the one who heard the sirens and told us to run. He was right behind us!"

I turned around and looked out at the field. In the background, I could see my truck being driven everywhere in search of us. The wind was getting stronger and debris was beginning to fly. We were out of time.

"ZAK!" I screamed.

I was beginning to panic. This was like one time when I was little and I lost my Grandma at the mall. I didn't know where to go or what to do. All I knew to do was to scream at the top of my lungs for her, and that's what I was left to do now. Panic and scream.

"Zak! Zak, where are you?" I ran back and screamed.

I was shaking so hard that I couldn't hold myself up anymore. Aaron ran up to me and caught me before I could collapse.

"Michael, we have to get to the barn. Maybe he ran in there. Hell, he may be in the truck already. Let's go. We'll be safer," he said.

I dug my toes into the grass and mud and went dead-weight on Aaron.

"No, Aaron!" I cried, "We gotta find him! I can't lose him, Aaron! We gotta find him!"

A tree limb sailed over our heads, nearly hitting Aaron. We ducked and stared at it in horror.

"This is no time. Let's go!" Aaron shouted at me.

I cried for Zak as we ran back to the barn. When we made it in, I broke away from Aaron.

"Zak! Zak, are you in here?" I shouted.

No response.

"Michael, we gotta take cover. Get over here and get down!" Aaron commanded.

I ran over to Aaron and we huddled down against the wall in an old stall. Outside, I could see light from transformers and power lines lighting up the darkness. It was coming. I was in full panic mode. Where was Zak? Where was Billy? Had they taken off and left Aaron and I? Where was the tornado? I could hear it, but I couldn't see it.  
I lost my shit and threw my arms around Aaron.

"Calm down, Mikey. You have to stay calm. We'll find him," Aaron said reassuringly.

All I could see in my mind was Zak flattened by a tree. When I watched _The Wizard of Oz_ for the first time, I wondered why Dorothy had acted like such a spaz when the tornado came. Now, I completely understood.

"Whoa! Michael, look!" Aaron exclaimed.

I looked up to see a figure in the doorway of the barn. I blinked several times, not believing what I was seeing. In the doorway was a figure with broad shoulders that rose and fell with heavy breathing.

"Zak?" I asked.

I began to get up, but Aaron yanked me back down when the figure entered.

"Something's wrong with him," Aaron whispered, "Don't get up."

We ducked down so the figure that we thought was Zak couldn't see us. When he approached, I saw a profile I knew all too well. When the lightning flashed, I could see a deranged Zak stalked through the barn like a zombie.

"Is he-"

"He's possessed," Aaron whispered.

"Aaron, I have to help him. We have to go after him!" I hissed.

"Wait a second," he said.

Zak walked to the back of the barn to the boarded up back door. He twitched demonically and cried out in pain. He was trying to fight it. He was still lucid.

"_Come on, Zak. You can do it_," I thought.

Zak grabbed the boards and with some super strength, yanked them free and broke through the back door like the Creature from _Frankenstein_.

"Go, go, go!" Aaron exclaimed.

I jumped to my feet and took off out of the stall, Aaron hot on my heels. Zak was now running towards the trees, and it was nearly impossible for Aaron and I to keep up. Out of no where, my truck came barreling up, headlights shining on Zak. Nick and Jay jumped out of the truck.

"The tornado is following DC Minner Street. We gotta get out of here!" Nick shouted, "Where is Zak going?"

"He's possessed!" I shouted as I kept running.  
Nick and Jay ran after Aaron and I. Billy followed us all the way to the tree line, keeping the light on Zak. Nick quickly caught up with me. Being the track runner, he was able to keep up with Zak.

"Michael, I've got Holy Water! Come on!" he called over his shoulder.

I pumped my legs as hard as I could. My feet stomped through flash flood puddles as I tried to follow Nick. We ran into the woods, jumping brush and dodging small trees. Nick was yelling after Zak, and Zak was shouting things in a different language. His voice wasn't his. The demon had had it with us. It waited until the conditions were optimum, then attacked. They weren't going to stop until the destroyed Zak from the inside out. I couldn't shake the idea that I may lose Zak tonight.  
However, my spirits were lifted when I saw Nick fly into the air and land on Zak's back. Zak's knees buckled and he fell into the mud. We were in a clearing of the woods, just on the edge of Mr. Mitchell's property.  
Nick turned on his flashlight and blinded Zak with it.

"Michael!" Nick shouted.

I ran over to Nick and Zak and fell to my knees in the water and mud.

"Do exactly what Zak taught you that fought the demon off before," Nick said as he pinned Zak down.

Zak was screaming at an ungodly decibel and his eyes were solid black.

"Grab him when I say so," Nick said.

I nodded. Nick began to perform his own version of an exorcism as I tried to think of positives. It was a lot harder this time. I was trying so hard to mentally drown out Zak's agonizing screams with cheerful voices, but he kept breaking my trance.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, I command that you release this man. He is not yours to take. Michael!"

I grabbed Zak's trembling hand as he began to convulse. Light exploded from my hand and the air in front of Nick and I rippled. The force threw us yards from Zak. I landed on my ass in the mud while Nick landed on his face. I quickly ran over to Nick and grabbed his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I asked frantically.

Nick pushed himself up on all fours and nodded. When he raised his head his jaw dropped. When I looked over at Zak, I fell back to my knees.

"What's going on?" we heard Aaron yell behind us.

"We heard an explosion," Billy said.

When they got a look at Zak, they immediately shut up.

The the red-eyed, oily furred demon growled and loomed over Zak. Zak couldn't move. He was pinned down by the force of the entity. It was out of him, but it was preparing to consume him. Nick, Aaron, Billy, Jay, and I watched on in horror. It had grown too strong. There was nothing we could do. Zak looked up at the dog, tears streaming down his face.

"Please, just don't hurt them," he begged.

I wanted to yell, but there was nothing I could that wouldn't anger the demon even more. I slumped over and clasped my hands together.

"Please," I begged, "God, send help. He doesn't deserve this."

"Is that a car?" Aaron asked out of no where.

I jumped to my feet and began slamming my fists into Aaron's chest.

"Aaron, shut up! Why are you asking such stupid questions at a time like this?" I screamed.

Aaron gripped my shoulders and spun me around. I looked to see a single beam of light was shooting through the trees. It was definitely not a car light, nor was it any kind of artificial light. This light gave off it's own energy. I recognized the ectoplasmic streams billowing out from behind it. Suddenly, I wasn't scared anymore.

"That's a fucking orb!" I shouted, pointing to it.

The orb flew straight for the dog, and before I could blink, it blasted the dog off of Zak and up into the air. The air rippled as it rocketed high in the sky. I took it as my cue to run for Zak.  
I ran over into the water puddle he was laying and fell over him. His eyes were returning to normal. I grasped his face and brushed his soaked hair away from his forehead.

"Zak, it's okay. It's me. It's gone, sweetie," I said.

Zak's eyes locked onto mine and he shot straight up, pulling me into his arms and bawling into my shoulder.

"Shh," I said, trying to soothe his uncontrollable crying.

Up on high, the entities vanished. The darkness around Zak was finally gone. The orb reappeared as a tiny fleck that fluttered like a leaf falling from a tree. It was floating towards Aaron. Zak shot up and held his hand out.

"Aaron, don't move!" Zak commanded.

Aaron watched with a look of mixed fear and fascination. The little ball of faint light landed into a spirit box attached to his vest. The thing, which I thought may have been ruined by the rain, miraculously turned on and wailed, making all of us close our ears. It cracked and popped like a needle running over a record before the voice of a little girl broke through.

"_It's gone now. You are safe. Love you, Mommy. Love you, Daddy._."

My eyes widened as my lips parted with my lowering jaw. I was completely shocked.

The spirit box turned off and the orb, with the last of it's energy, flew over to Zak and I. Zak leaned forward and held out his palm to catch it as if it were a butterfly, but it vanished as he closed his hand. Zak buckled over, sobs wracking him like electrical shocks. I turned him to me and he pulled me into his lap.

"We love you, too," I whispered and cried into Zak's chest.

There. We could finally let go.

Xxx  
**The next morning**

All was quiet as we packed up for Vegas. We said goodbye to Nick and Jay after breakfast. Zak was absolutely zapped after we finally got him to the truck and anointed him with the last of our emergency oil. So, he didn't come down and say goodbye. I thought about not going, but I wanted to get out of the hotel room for awhile. So, I came down long enough to say goodbye to the boys before they flew home.  
When Nick saw me, he ran up to me and hugged me tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I will be," I said.

Nick cupped my jaw and smiled. He looked rough. He was in desperate need of a shave, he had deep bags under his eyes, and his smile only accentuated his wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes.  
Nick hugged me again. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't think of anything. I mentally begged for Nick to speak, but he said nothing. Instead, his kissed my forehead before watching me. He had cried last night, as well all had, but he looked like he was going to again.

"I'm just so happy you guys have an angel watching you. You two have the best daughter in the world," he said.

I had to fight the lump in my throat.

"Nick, stop it," I said.

Nick just smiled.

"I just wish we could have gotten it on video," he said.

That's when Aaron approached us. We turned to see him holding a digital recorder in his hand.

"This was left on. It um, well. Here, Mikey," he said, handing the device to me.

I stared up at Aaron in shock.

"No way," I whispered.

Aaron smiled and nodded.

"Every word of it. It stopped when we got Zak in the truck," he replied.

I didn't play it back, for we were in the dining area of the lobby of the hotel with other people, but I would definitely have to let Zak hear it.

"You can hear her on this?" I asked.

Aaron nodded. I couldn't control the tears that escaped. The boys hugged me tightly as I clutched the recorder to my chest.

"Go show Zak. He needs to hear it," Nick said.

I looked up at Nick.

"I will. And I'll make sure he calls you later," I said.

Nick smiled at that and patted my shoulder.

"Nick, our cab is here!" Jay called from the front door.

Nick looked back at Jay.

"Coming!" Nick called before looking back at me, "Bye, Mikey. I'll see you later."

"Bye, Nick," I croaked out, "Bye, Jay!"

Jay waved.

"Bye, Michael!" he called.

With that, he and Nick wheeled out their suitcases and left for the airport. I then turned to Aaron.

"Billy has the keys if you wanna go ahead and load. I'm going to go wake Zak up," I said.

Aaron nodded. I turned to leave, but stopped and looked back at him.

"Thanks for forgetting to press stop," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Aaron smiled at that.

"I finally did something right," he said.

I sniffed and walked back over to him. I pulled him into a tight hug.

"You're the best, bro," I whispered.

Aaron rubbed little circles into my back.

"Thank-you," he whispered.

We parted, but found it hard to move away from him.

"Go wake him up. We have a long drive to Albuquerque," Aaron said.

I just nodded and left the lobby, gripping the precious device in my hands.

When I walked into our room, Zak was pulling a t-shirt over his head. The mirror above the sink was slightly foggy, indicating that he had gotten around and had his shower.

"Hey," I said softly.

Zak's head popped through his collar and he looked at me curiously.

"Hey, baby. Whatcha got there?" he asked softly.

I looked down at the recorder, cupping it as if it were a baby's head. When I didn't reply, Zak walked over to me. I looked up at him and handed him to recorder.

"Go put the recordings on your computer before someone accidentally erases them," I said.

Zak watched me with concern.

"What's on here?" he asked.

I looked up into his eyes, but I couldn't make myself reply. Zak spun around and walked over to his laptop, which was sitting and charging on the table. He pulled the chair out and sat down. He worked quickly to transfer the audio to the computer. I watched until he announced that the transfer was over.

"Who gave you this?" he asked, glancing up at me.

"Aaron," I replied quietly.

Zak looked back at the screen and pressed play.

"A lot of this is EVP sessions, Michael," Zak said as we listened to playback of Aaron's voice.

"Skip to near the end," I said.

Zak skimmed through the audio and let the last part play. Most of it was Aaron running, but you could hear my screaming. Zak suppressed a laugh and shook his head.

"Good Lord, woman. You can scream," Zak said.

I smiled and walked behind him.

"Hey! I was terrified!" I said as I wrapped my arm around his neck.

Zak chucked and grasped one of my hands to kiss it.

"I know, sweetie," he said softly.

I nuzzled my face against the side of his head as we listened to the rest of the recording. I tightened my arms around him and buried my face into his soft hair. Hours ago, I thought he was a goner. Now, I felt like I should be around him and touch him while I could, even though I knew he was safe now.  
Zak leaned forward and propped his head up in his hand. I closed my eyes as I listened to his breathing and the recording. You could hear Aaron's heavy breathing and Zak's screaming. Zak winced as he heard his own wailing. I just hugged him tighter and kissed the side of his head. Zak reached up to hold my hand.

"Don't tell me she's on here," he said.

I said nothing. The sound of the spirit box came next, then, her voice. It was even clearer on the recorder. Zak quickly replayed it several times. He had tears streaming down his face. I buried my face in his neck and tried not to cry for the hundredth time in the passed five or six hours. When he was done replaying the clip, he leaned back.

"That's your little girl, sweetie," he said.

I stood up and quickly wiped my face.

"Mikey, come here," Zak said, patting his leg.

He pushed the chair back and let me curl up into his lap. I put my arms around his neck as I laid sideways. Zak leaned over me and caressed my face with his fingertips.

"I will never be able to thank Aaron enough for this. Or our little one for saving me," he said shakily.

I closed my eyes and cried into his chest.

"Michael, don't cry. I hate seeing you cry. It breaks my heart," he said.

Well, of course, that made me cry harder. Zak put a hand behind my head and cradled me.

"Shh, sweetie. It's okay," he whispered.

"I'm not crying because of her. Well, a little," I said.

Zak stroked my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Then, why the tears?" he asked.

I smiled at him. I reached up to touch his cheek.

"You're free," I whispered.

Zak smiled widely and leaned down to kiss me.

"After all that bullshit," he said.

"It just took a fucking thunderstorm from hell to give her enough energy to help you," I said.

Zak giggled this cute, and relieved little laugh. He leaned down and kissed me passionately.

"You have nothing to worry about anymore, Michael," he said when the kiss broke.

I smiled and sat up to hug him. I have my best friend back-forever.


	28. The Fresh Start

Zak was standing near the truck, speaking on the phone with Nick. I was busying myself with loading our suitcases and trying to get everything situated to where the bed cover would close properly.

"Hey, Michael?" Billy asked as he jerked a black case around and shoved back.

"Yeah?" I asked as I moved a suitcase over.

"Would you like me to drive? Or Aaron, maybe? You look beat," he said.

I looked up at him and gave him a small smile. I _was_ exhausted.

"If you don't mind," I said.

Billy smiled.

"It'll keep me awake. I don't mind at all," he replied.

My smile grew.

"Thanks, Billy. If you do get tired, we can switch. It's no problem," I offered.

Billy rolled his eyes.

"You need sleep worse than I do. You've had a hard night. Don't worry about me. You just go ahead and get some sleep. Be with Zak. Aaron and I will take turns," he said.

Defeated, I sighed and hugged Billy.

"Thanks, Bill," I said.

"You're welcome, Mikes."

Billy and I parted and returned to shutting the tailgate. After locking the cover, I handed Billy the keys and walked back over to Zak. He was texting as I approached.

"Hey, Aaron?" Zak asked.

"Yeah?" Aaron asked.

"You can take shotgun if you want. I'm going to go into full fetus mode in the back," Zak replied.

I playfully scoffed.

"Well, if you're gonna crash, who am I going to talk to?" I asked.

Zak smiled warmly and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"I'll talk to you, sweetie," he said.

He kissed my forehead, then took my hand.

"Come on, Michael," he said.

We walked over to the truck. Zak opened the back door for me and I thanked him and climbed in. He followed me in and shut the door. Aaron and Billy soon got in with us.

"You guys ready?" Billy asked.

Zak kicked off his shoes and slid down to lay on his back across the seats. He held out his arms for me to lay with him. There really wasn't any room for both of us to lay in the back comfortably, but Zak insisted I be on top of him.

"Ready," Zak announced as I climbed over him and laid on my stomach on top of him.

I nuzzled into Zak's shirt and wrapped an arm around his torso. Zak reached in the floor and pulled up some folded blankets and a few pillows.

"Imma make a nest," Zak said, speaking as if he was on a serious mission.

I smiled and buried the side of my face into his soft t-shirt.

"You do that, sweetheart," I murmured and closed my eyes.

Zak pulled one of our blankets over us, even though his body heat was enough to keep me warm. He then cuddled me and kissed the top of my head. I didn't even realize how dead tired I was until then. I closed my eyes and within minutes, I was out.  
When I woke again, soft electronic music was playing and the windshield wipers were whisking away rain from the front windshield. I looked up to see gray clouds outside. I tilted my head up to see Zak absently watching the rain out the back window.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Zak looked down at me and smiled.

"El Reno. We're going to stop here in a little bit and get lunch," Zak replied.

I nodded and closed my eyes again.

"Did you have a good nap, sweetie?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Did you sleep?" I asked.

"Oh, God, Michael! He snored for a good hour," Billy complained.

I smiled at that.

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

Zak shrugged.

"About two hours or so. You can go back to sleep, Mikey," he said.

I shook my head. Zak just chuckled at my stubbornness and ruffled my hair. I reached down into the pockets of my shorts and pulled my cell phone out. I decided I might as well check for texts and get updated on Twitter and Instagram. I saw a text from Zak's mom that I missed, so I immediately opened it.

"_Hey sweetheart. I heard there was a big storm there. Just checking in on you. Text me when you can. Love you_."

I smiled and texted her back.

"_Thanks! We're fine. That storm was insane, but everyone is okay. We're heading to Albuquerque today. We'll head home tomorrow. Love you, too_!"

After my reply, I checked on Twitter. When I saw that I had Zak Tweets to catch up on, I rolled my eyes.

**Zak Bagans** Zak_Bagans  
"In my journeys in the world of the paranormal, I've heard many voices. Tonight, I heard an angel. Bittersweet moment for all of us."

Then Zak posted another in the same minute.

**Zak Bagans** Zak_Bagans  
"I've said it before. You must believe in angels. You never know when you'll get to meet one! I'm fortunate enough to have two, including this special girl..."

Beneath the follow up text was a link to a picture, so I clicked on it. The picture was a shot Aaron had taken of us after he proposed to me back in New York. I couldn't believe he posted it, but it was so sweet, nonetheless.  
The next Tweet had already been retweeted by Nick and Billy, so I was eager to read it.

**Zak Bagans** Zak_Bagans  
"I feel so very blessed to have this woman in my life. I know if I had never met her, I doubt I would even be alive today. I love you so much, MichaelT_Bagans."

I smiled and sent out a Tweet to Zak, even though he was laying beneath me. I had not Tweeted since January when a fight broke out that I had to get in the middle of. Stupid teenaged girls.

**Mikey Bagans** MichaelT_Bagans  
" Zak_Bagans You are the blessing, sweetheart. Thank-you. I love you, too."

After sending the Tweet, I retweeted the one by him that I was mentioned in before putting my phone away. I then rolled over and scooted up so I could be almost eye level with Zak.  
When I moved up, Zak looked at me and smiled. I kissed him and pressed my forehead against his.

"Thank-you," I whispered.

Zak smiled and pecked my lips.

"You saw my Tweet?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded. Zak rolled over onto his side and kissed me deeply. He then held the back of my head and cuddled me. For awhile, I thought he had fallen asleep. When he spoke, it scared me.

"Hey, Michael?" he asked.

I jumped and looked up at him. He seemed troubled.

"What's wrong, Zak?" I asked.

Zak glanced up at me with sad eyes. I bit my lip, wishing he didn't look at me like that. He had that whole puppy dog look going on, and it hurt.

"I don't wanna go home," he said.

To be honest, every time we left Vegas, I had a hard time admitting I wanted to go back. But Las Vegas was my home now, I had to get over that. However, for Zak to say that he didn't want to go back concerned me.

"Why not?" I asked.

Zak shook his head.

"It's like how you weren't all that thrilled about going to back to Europe. I don't know how to explain it, Mikey. It's just that I don't feel like we're going home," he replied.

"You're still working out that last possession, Zak. You'll readjust," I said reassuringly.

Zak shook his head again.

"Home is supposed to feel like a sanctuary. I don't see it that way anymore," he said.

"Where do you want to go, then?" I asked.

Zak looked down and shrugged.

"I don't know. I just know that I don't want to go home," he said sadly.

I sighed. I didn't know how to reply to that. I would just have to wait until he got detoxed and cleansed before I could get a good answer. I just hoped it wasn't anything serious.

Xxx  
**Zak and Michael's house, Las Vegas.  
Zak's Point of View**

Michael was sitting in the floor sorting out pictures she had had printed and putting them in a large collage frame. I was sitting in her computer chair, my eyes scanning the walls of her office. She had everything from her blog shots, to just casual shots of us and the Crew, to huge prints of Nick, Aaron, and I in giant poster frames. I was staring blankly at a center collage frame, not really knowing why I was staring at it or why I couldn't look away. My thoughts were at a standstill, only processing the occasional curse flying out of Michael's mouth as she fought with the frame.  
I looked down to see her picking at the backboard with the sharp point of her pocket knife.

"Did you need help, sweetie?" I asked.

Michael pried off the back successfully and then looked up at me with a big, cheesy grin.

"Nope!" she said happily and set to work inserting the pictures.

I laughed and looked back up at the wall, my eyes finding the center frame again. I focused on a photo near the top, which happened to be a morning shot of the Basin Park Hotel that we visited last year in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I absolutely loved that lockdown and the town. It was just a small town in the hills, with the only large franchise business being a McDonald's. The town was as Victorian as you could get and vibrated with the spirits that haunted the place. You could feel them everywhere. I could sense them on the streets, in the lockdowns before lockdown time, and even in the McDonald's bathroom. Creepy? Yes, but I loved it! It was a creepy, delightfully haunted, beautiful little Ozark town.  
For a while now, I've been wanting to go back. Hell, I've even wanted to visit The Hollow again, but Michael said she wasn't going to have the services restored unless we moved there. The house was just too small for us and our stuff, though. Her little home was beautiful, but we both agreed we would need a huge place if we ever moved. I wanted a castle. I told her a million times that I was seriously thinking about contacting a realtor in the U.K. to see if any castles were for sale. Michael had said she could live in a small Victorian cottage just as easily, but a mansion would be awesome. That, I agreed with.  
Suddenly, my thoughts came together. All of a sudden, I knew why I had been staring blankly at the same pictures for 45 minutes.

"What the fuck, Zak?" Michael asked when I bolted from the chair.

"I'll be back in a little bit. I have some work I need to do," I called over my shoulder.

I had some serious thinking to do as well.

Xxx  
**Michael's POV**

I was walking from the guest bathroom and back to my office when I heard a vicious sizzling and smelled cooking peppers. Zak's cooking? Oh hell yes!  
With that, I ran right into the kitchen, where I found Zak with a steaming skillet.

"What kind of heavenly wonder are you cooking?" I asked.

Zak looked over at me and smiled.

"Fajitas. Are you hungry?" he asked.

"I wasn't until I smelled that. Feed me!" I exclaimed playfully.

"Well, come get you a plate. I made steak and chicken. What do you want? Both?" he asked.

"Both," I replied.

Zak smiled as he took the tongs and picked several slices of chicken out of the skillet and made up my plate.

"I knew it," he said.

"You know me so well," I said teasingly.

Zak smiled at me.

"The pico and sour cream is still in the fridge," he said.

I turned around and walked around him to open the refrigerator. I picked out the tub of sour cream and the box of pico de gallo.

"Did you want your tea out of here?" I asked over my shoulder.

"No, I have two glasses of ice water in there for us," he said.

My eyes searched around before I found the glasses in front of my face. I tucked the condiments under my arms and grabbed the glasses.

"Shall we go eat outside? It's really nice out," he suggested.

"Totally!" I said excitedly.

Zak laughed at me and handed me my plate. It took two trips, but we finally got the patio table set up and sat down to eat, but not without Ernie and Gracie at our feet.

"So, I have a proposal for you," Zak said.

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh?" I asked, "What kind? Business? Personal?"

Zak smiled.

"Personal, Mikey," he replied.

I giggled as I sprinkled some cheese over my mix of steak and chicken strips.

"Well, what did you have on your mind?" I asked and bit into my fajita.

Zak sat a half-eaten fajita down and sat forward. He seemed suddenly nervous.

"What do you think about moving?" Zak asked.

I was taking a sip of my water and almost did a spit-take. I felt my eyes bug out of their sockets. Was he serious? Had he lost his fucking mind?

"Moving?" I squeaked out.

Zak nodded. I had a sudden thought. I had a feeling I knew where he was going with this.

"Oh Zak! Not The Hollow, if that's what you're thinking. The place needs work. We'd have to add on. It's just not enough room for us," I said.

"No, not The Hollow. I mean, the place is beautiful, Michael, but that's not what I'm talking about. Although, we will have to stop by there and pick up the rest of your belongings if you do this with me," Zak said.

"Zak, explain," I pleaded.

Zak sighed.

"I haven't felt right since we left Oklahoma. Michael, there's so many negative memories in this house. Everything still feels weird. I mean, I know the demon is gone, but there are still spirits creeping around here. Especially in the dungeon. And I know having all those cursed artifacts doesn't help the situation any, but Michael..."

Zak trailed off. He slowly blinked as he thought over what he was going to say.

"When I leave here, I feel better. When I visited The Hollow for the first time, I felt at peace. I don't know if it was because of something having to do with Patch or what, but I felt just at peace with myself and nature and everything. I thought that it was all in my head and it was just because I was with you, but when we moved you here, that peace wasn't quite all there. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

I nodded.

"Pretty much. Zak, that's why I built on that land. It has that effect on you. When I lived by myself, I felt at peace all the time. There's something about Northern Arkansas that has this calming effect. Maybe it's the hills and woods and everything. It's something the desert sorely lacks. I'll say that much," I said.

Zak smiled.

"The desert used to be like that, and in some places it is. But, Vegas just isn't the same anymore. I mean, I'll always love Vegas, but it doesn't feel like home anymore," he explained.

I nodded again.

"And I know it's never felt like home for you," Zak said.

I opened my mouth to argue (well, lie), but Zak held a hand up to shush me.

"Michael, back when we discussed where we should live before we got married, I knew you didn't agree with yourself. Do not say that it's home now. I know it's not home for you and it was selfish of me to think that you would get used to it. You were here long enough beforehand to decide whether you liked it or not. I know that," Zak said.

I winced.

"I tried to get used to it, Zak. Really. I thought it would grow on me, but..."

"Michael, it's okay. I think it's worn off of me, to be honest," he said.

I smiled, but I felt bad for him. He had lived all over this country and I knew he loved the desert the most. The fact that he had fallen out of love with it broke my heart.  
Zak reached across the table and took my hand. He looked into my eyes, his blue irises trapping me.

"Michael, I want a clean start with you, sweetie. I want to leave this dark, haunted mess behind and go somewhere we can actually call our safe place. Living in a haunted house with shit I've provoked and cursed objects I kept for my own little horrific pleasure isn't a life I wanted for you. You know what horror is. I don't need to bring more upon you. I should've burned it all before we got married."

"Zak, that stuff was here before me," I said.

"And you're so much more important to me than that shit! Look, babe, I found a house. I called the realtor and she offered to give us a tour of it when we were available. I think this could be really good for us, Mikey," Zak said.

"But, Zak. What about your mom?"

"What about her?" he asked.

"Well, I'll miss her," I said quietly.

She was the only true mother figure I had ever had in my life. She was the sweetest person, and I had grown attached.

"Sweetie, I'll miss her, too, but she'll be okay. She still has my sister and her grandkids here," Zak said.

I smiled at that. Then, I had a sudden terrifying thought.

"Oh my God! What about Aaron?" I asked.

Zak's face fell.

"We hardly see him, Michael," Zak pointed out.

We really didn't. Sometimes we saw him in the late afternoon, but he was always so busy, and his sleeping schedule didn't help, either.

"I know. I'll still miss him. Billy, too," I said sadly.

"Michael, we see them all the time. We won't miss them _that_ much," he said.

I nodded. That was true. We filmed once or twice each month. I guess it wouldn't make much of a difference.

"Sweetie," Zak said.

He leaned over the table and took one of my hands in both of his.

"Remember back in England in the cave? Remember how I said we'd one day have a big gothic mansion?" he asked.

"Yeah?" I asked slowly.

Zak's eyes lit up and he grew extremely excited.

"Michael, I found one! It's definitely not as big as the Ivanov mansion, but it's something I know you'll love. I love it!" he said.

"You found one for sale? Where?" I asked excitedly.

Zak bit his bottom lip.

"Would you be mad if I said it was a surprise?" he asked shyly.

I sighed.

"No. It isn't out of the country, is it?" I asked.

Zak smiled and shook his head.

"No, Mikey. But, it's definitely is out of state. We'll have to fly out there if you wanna look at it," he replied.

I nodded.

"I wanna see this place," I said with a smirk.

Zak bolted upright in surprise.

"Really?" he asked.

"Really, really," I said.

"You'd do this with me? It's a really big deal. I mean, if you really like it and want to move, we got a lot of work to do on this house before we sell it. Plus, we still need to go to your house and retrieve the rest of your stuff and I'm going to have to get rid of some of my crap."

"I'd do anything with you. Zak," I said, putting my food down and placing my free hand over his, "I want a fresh start, too. Let's head out there and take a look at the place. If neither of us think it's what we want, we can keep looking. If anything we can go back to The Hollow and remodel it. I don't care. I just care about being with you and away from this dark energy."

Zak beamed and leaned over the table to kiss me.

"You won't regret it, sweetie. I promise," he said.

"When can we go out there?" I asked.

"As soon as you want," he replied.

I quickly stuffed the rest of my fajita into my mouth and ran to the porch doors.

"I'm munna go pack!" I called with my mouth full.

Zak just laughed at me and shook his head.

Xxx  
**Two days later  
Undisclosed location  
9:00 A.M.**

"I like driving this road. It's like a rollercoaster or something," Zak said excitedly, his voice high-pitched like a happy little boy.

"It's 'cause you're driving like a mad man! Slow down," I complained.

"This is how I always drive," Zak argued.

"You and your Vegas driving," I grumbled.

Zak just looked down at me and smiled.

"If you get pulled over, we're going to get all kinds of arrested," I said.

I knew Zak was speeding. He had to be going 65 in a 35, for these roads felt crazy. To add to that, he had made me sit in the floor in the passenger side of our little rental car. This morning in the hotel, we couldn't find anything to blindfold me with, excluding socks. Zak had tried to tie one of his around my head, but I wasn't having any of that. So, I was forced to sit in the floor so Zak could keep an eye on me.

"Why couldn't I have just laid face down in the backseat?" I asked.

"Because, I can't see you from back there. I know you'll peek," he said.

"I will not!" I argued.

"Michael! You will find some way to peek and I don't want this surprise spoiled. I know how sneaky you are," he said.

"Am not!"

"Mikey, remember when we redid our birthdays and I made you that cake?" he asked.

"I didn't see anything!" I exclaimed defensively.

"Michael, I caught you looking at the reflection on the back of your phone," he snapped.

I lowered my head.

"All I saw was your backside," I mumbled.

"You were still peeking," he said.

"I was bored. Leave me alone," I said.

Zak chuckled and reached down to ruffle my hair.

"It won't be much longer, sweetie. If I'm going the right way, that is," he said.

I smiled and laid my head down on the chair. My eyes glanced up at Zak. He looked gorgeous today, as if he didn't always look good (there are some days, though, where he wore certain jeans or a shirt that just make me shake my head). Today, he was a wearing a long-sleeved, red plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, jeans that were not only blue, but also almost fit his ass, and black tennis shoes. We were supposed to dress nice today, since we were driving to meet with the realtor about the house, but neither of us really had anything that was the definition of "nice." I think the only thing I had was my wedding dress. Literally. At one time, I had some nice stuff in black, but it had either been lost in the move or left behind in Fayetteville. So, to improvise, I picked out a pair of black shorts that were fairly new and had no tears (almost everything I owned was faded or ripped, since they was the style I preferred), a black camisole, black flats that I hated, but they were nice, and a green, military style shirt with short sleeves that I believe came from a random trip to JCPenney's with Zak's mom. No band logos, no rips, and no studs on anything except my jewelry, which was only my GAC necklace, a leather watch similar to the one Elvis Presley wore, and my wedding ring. It had been the first time in a long time that I dressed up for once. Normally when I did this, I took it all back off because I didn't feel comfortable, but when Zak kissed me this morning and told me that he thought I was beautiful, I felt comfortable in my own skin again.

"Hmm," Zak hummed, breaking me from my absent staring at the seat belt buckle, "I think this is it."

My head shot up.

"Can I look?" I asked.

"Hold on a sec," he said.

Zak craned his neck to look.

"Is there not an address?" I asked.

"Yeah, but it's not on the mailbox. And you can't see the house from-oh, holy shit! I see the roof! We're here!"

I bounced up and down excitedly, eager to get out of the floor. My butt, back, and now my neck were hurting like almighty hell!

"Can I look now?" I asked.

"Michael, calm down. Just stay put. I'll tell you when," he said as he turned the steering wheel.

I laid my head back down. I groaned when a sharp pain shot up my back and exploded between my shoulder blades.

"Ow," I grumbled into the fabric of the seat.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" Zak asked.

"My back is killing me, Zak. I want up," I complained.

Zak reached down and gave my shoulder a squeeze.

"Just one more minute. We're going down the driveway. Oh man! The lady isn't here yet!"

"Why the hell not?" I snapped, getting grumpy because of the pain I was in.

"Well, we are here a little early. I wanted to show you the place before she arrived. Oh my goodness, Mikey! This is way bigger than it looked in the picture," Zak said in awe.

I pouted. I wanted to see so bad!

"Holy shit, Michael," Zak went on as he parked the car and killed the engine.

"Now? Before my back snaps in half?" I asked.

"Yes, Mikey. You can get up now," he said.

I grasped the sides of the seat and pulled. I only got so far before my back cramped up. My feet were asleep and my knees got stuck under the seat. I was screwed.

"Dammit."

"Are you stuck?" Zak asked with a giggle.

I propped my head up on my hand and batted my eyelashes at him.

"Yup," I said irritably.

Zak smiled at me.

"I guess I'll just get to look at this beautiful structure by myself, then," he teased as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

"Zak, get over here and help me! I really am stuck," I said.

Zak laughed and opened his door.

"Hang on, sweetie," he said.

I growled at him.

"You are so dead, mister!" I snapped.

And so paying for my trip to chiropractor after this!

When Zak came around to open my door, he snorted and grinned.

"I beg you, don't take a picture," I said.

Zak laughed.

"I won't. I can't guarantee you that I won't Tweet something about this, though," he teased.

I just groaned. Zak leaned down and took both of my hands. I was so glad the realtor woman was not here, for we looked like idiots.

"Kick your feet out from under you," Zak said.

I gritted my teeth as I had to twist to an uncomfortable angle to untangle my legs.

"Is this seat all the way back?" Zak asked.

"It is. Trust me," I said.

Zak smiled at me.

"Come on, sweetie," he urged.

I managed to hang my legs out of the car before Zak pulled me out. As I tried to straighten myself, my sleeping legs rattled and my back cramped.

"Fuck!" I growled in pain and doubled over, "I'm a midget!"

"Michael, you can do this. Take slow steps and deep breaths. Walk towards me, sweetie," he said.

I gripped his hands as I walked to him and he moved backwards. Slowly, I was able to stand up straight, but my muscles were really stiff.

"You okay?" Zak asked.

I nodded.

"Maybe I should have let you blindfold me with that sock," I said.

Zak just laughed and hugged me.

"I'm sorry, hun," he apologized.

"You so owe me a back rub tonight," I grumbled into his collarbone.

Zak softly kissed my cheek.

"Of course, sweetie. Maybe after dinner?" he asked as he began trailing kisses down my jaw and to my neck, "Then we could jump in the hot shower, perhaps?"

I laughed and playfully smacked his chest. Zak laughed and reached down to lace his fingers with mine.

"You sound like you have a plan," I said accusingly.

A smile crossed over Zak's lips.

"Yeah. I plan on celebrating, because I'm pretty sure I'm buying this house," he said.

That's when I realized that I hadn't even so much as glanced at my surroundings. When I looked to my left, my eyes bugged out and my jaw dropped. In front of me was the coolest home I had ever seen. The house was, I believe, a Second Empire Victorian, not unlike the one shown in the _Addams Family_ movies. It seemed to be fully restored, with gray paint, reddish lavender shutters around the windows, black trim and shingles, and subtle gingerbread accents that looked to be made of wrought iron instead or your traditional wood. The building was three stories high, included a full wraparound porch, castle-like front doors, and a balcony on the side. It was beautiful.

"Holy shit!" I gasped.

"Do you like it?" Zak asked.

"Zak, this is amazing! These types of homes are so rare. How in the world did you find this place?" I asked.

Zak just smiled and shrugged.

"I got a little inspiration one day. I did some research. Made a few calls. Then, I found this treasure. I know how you love old houses with that hundred year old charm. This house is almost 200 years old, according to it's ad online. You know how we both love water? Well, there's a creek running in the front."

I followed Zak's finger to see a vast amount of land, enclosed by huge, tree covered hills. It reminded me a lot of Arkansas. Not too far off the driveway was a creek flowing alongside and curving through the front pasture.

"And that's not the only water feature," he said, "Come on."

Zak took my hand and began to lead me around the house. My eyes were glued to the rolling land around us. I didn't see any power lines (save for the ones leading to the house), roads, or even houses. I couldn't even spot a fence!

"Zak? How many acres is this?" I asked.

Zak looked up at what seemed to be an endless valley of land.

"I believe it's around 240 acres or something like that," he said.

My head snapped over to him and my mouth was hanging wide open.

"What on Earth do we need with that much land, Zak?"

Again, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe no reason, but I'm sure we can find plenty of things to do with it," he said.

As Zak led me around the house and up an incline in the driveway, I found that I didn't know what to look at. Everything was so overwhelming. My surroundings were like something I had only seen in pictures or in movies. My eyes saw, but my mind had ceased to function.

"Check this out, Mikey," Zak said excitedly.

I looked up to see a building that somewhat matched the house.

"This used to be the carriage house. The previous owners restored it, but they converted the inside into a garage. I've been told that it's big enough to fit my car, your truck, any toys I don't sell, plus storage. I think the realtor said it even had an attic," Zak said.

Room for vehicles? Two different families could live comfortably in it!

"Zak, that thing is bigger than my house!" I exclaimed, referring to The Hollow.

Zak giggled.

"This isn't even the best part! Come on," Zak said.

Excited to see what else the property had in store, I followed Zak down a gravel path that led to the backyard.

"It's fenced in, which is perfect for the dogs. I know if we let Ernie roam, we'll never find him," Zak said.

I agreed. Ernie had only been kept fenced in at Patch's and back at my parents' house when I still lived there, but I let him have free reign over my home in Fayetteville. However, the house was on a steep hill, and a cliff behind the house blocked the dog from roaming off the backside of the hill. So, with that mixed with the pup's laziness, I didn't have to worry about him going to far. He was perfectly happy snoozing the day away on the porch, and I'm sure he would do the exact same thing here. As for Gracie, I'm sure Zak would let her roam around without a leash, but not without being under his watchful eye. But for when we weren't home and it was nice out, the fenced in yard was perfect.

"This yard is huge, Zak. Hey, what's that over there?" I asked, pointing to another fence off area near the back of the yard.

Zak looked down at me and smiled.

"The pool," he replied.

I just stared at him.

"So we can get an awesome sunburn like we did last year?" I asked.

"Oh, hell no! I'm overdoing it on the sunscreen. I don't even care if it stops up the filter or not," he said.

I just laughed at that and hugged his arm. Last year, when he bought me one of those blue above-ground pools from Walmart, we burned ourselves to a crisp. We wore waterproof sunscreen, and even reapplied, but it didn't help. Zak was so burnt after that. He had to sleep in the living room floor for a few nights because the sheets hurt his skin. We went through bottles upon bottles of aloe. Afterwards, he peeled so much that he snowed dead skin. Yeah, we weren't doing that again.

"Then we'll have to call someone to come out and fix it," I said.

Zak wrapped his arm around my waist.

"We'll figure it out. Come on. There's one more thing I want to show you before the realtor lady shows up," he said.

Zak took me around the wrought iron fence and to a trail in the woods behind the house. The path had been well worn by human and animal feet, and had even been landscaped on both sides with flowers and decorative bushes.

"You hear that?" Zak asked as he suddenly stopped.

I jumped in fear and frantically looked around out of habit. When Zak Bagans asks you that question, you automatically become frightened. After so many lockdowns with him, that was my first reaction.

"Hear what? What is it?" I asked.

Zak just smiled and wrapped his fingers around my forearm.

"Sweetie, calm down. Just listen," he said softly.

He dropped his hand down to mine and held it as he watched me listen for whatever I was supposed to be hearing. At first, I only heard the wind and the birds, but then I heard a different sound. At first, it sounded just like the wind, but then it started to sound a bit more like static on a TV, or even that damn spirit box!

"I know you've got good ears. Come on, Michael," he urged.

"Is that water?" I asked.

Zak smiled and nodded.

"Come on!" he said excitedly.

Zak jogged down the trail. I had to really run to keep up. The dead grass and dirt soon gave way to more living grass and rocks. Zak skidded to a halt and stared in awe. I put on my own brakes and nearly fell to my knees in shock. In front of us was the most crystal clear little river. The water was so clean, I could see the plants and fish as they were pushed downstream.

"If the pool isn't enough, we have a whole stretch of river to ourselves. The realtor said there was no water traffic, seeing as the water runs out of a cave in the hills. It's all fresh spring water," he said.

"Zak, this is unreal!" I said.

Zak walked over to me with a loving smile on his face.

"You like it?" he asked.

I stared at the river. I couldn't even find the right words. Zak took me by the hips. I grasped his arms as I stared at the hypnotizing water. I knew if we moved here, this would be my zen spot.

"I don't even care what the inside of the house looks like. We gotta buy it!"

Zak chuckled and hugged me tightly.

"Come on," Zak said when he pulled away, "Let's get back into the yard. I bet the realtor is here and wondering where the hell we're at."

I nodded in agreement. With that, Zak and I jogged back down the trail and around the backyard. As we walked back into the front yard, a red Cadillac drove in and parked beside our little silver rental. Out of the car stepped a lady in an all black pantsuit with black pumps and long red hair. She almost reminded me of Zak's mother, except younger. Holy cow! It was like Zak's mother and mine put together!

"Hello! Good morning!" the realtor said cheerfully.

Oh God. Too cheerful for this early in the morning!

"Hello," Zak said, mirroring her cheerfulness.

My introverted self kicked in and I kept my lips glued shut. It wasn't really a problem, though, seeing as Zak always spoke for me anyway.  
When we were close enough, the woman shook hands with Zak.

"You must be Zak," she said.

"Yes ma'am," he replied politely.

"I'm Melissa Brooks. It's so nice to finally meet you," she said as they shook hands.

"You too. This is my wife, Michael," Zak introduced me.

I didn't show it, but on the inside, I cringed. I hated shaking hands. It wasn't that I was mysophobic (even though I kind of was), or trying to be rude in any way, but I just did not like shaking hands with people. It was just awkward for me, but I had to do it. Ready, Michael? One, two, three.

"Hi," I said shyly as he shook my hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said before looking back up at Zak, "Shall we go in and take a look at the place? I know you must be itching to get in there."

"We are so ready," Zak said enthusiastically.

Melissa laughed and waved us over as she began to walk to the front porch. Zak wrapped his arm around my waist and we followed the realtor in.  
As Melissa dug out the keys to the front door from her blazer pocket, she began to give us the history of the house.

"This is what they call a Second Empire Victorian," she began.

I knew it!

"It's quite a different style than what we have around here. Now, I understand I'm not supposed to say the town's location?" she asked Zak.

"It's still a secret," he confirmed.

Damn! Even the realtor was in on this? I should have known!

"Okay," she replied with a laugh as she unlocked the door, "I'll try not to let it slip."

Melissa opened the front doors and let us in. As Zak and I entered, we were floored.

"Oh my goodness!" I gasped.

"Holy cow," Zak breathed out.

Melissa went on with the history as we stood, frozen and speechless.

"The house was built in 1868, making it's nearly 150 years old now. It is fully restored. The owners started restoration in 1992 and completed it in 2004," she said.

"Geez. It must have been really far gone," Zak commented.

"Yes, it was. But they did a beautiful job in restoring it. All of the woodwork you see is all original. The entire house is hardwood flooring. The third floor attic is the only space that doesn't have original wood, but it nearly matches what's under our feet now," Melissa explained.

"Now, has anything been added onto or manipulated? Like walls added or removed or anything?" Zak asked.

Melissa shook her head.

"No, sir. Everything is original. Even some of the wallpaper in some of the bedrooms is original," she said.

Zak looked impressed. I was surprised. I couldn't wait to see what 19th century wallpaper looked like. If it was ugly, it was going, but if not, it was going to be awesome.

"Okay, good. How many bedrooms? Bathrooms?" Zak asked.

"There are five bedrooms. Two and a half bathrooms. The half bath is on the ground floor. Come. Let me give you the grand tour," Melissa said.

With that, Melissa took us through the house. The entire home was just as amazing as the grounds it sat on. There was plenty of room for two separate offices, a mini gym for Zak, caves for both of us, and a large basement we could rebuild the dungeon in. The house also had a small library, large formal dining room, spacious laundry room made out of a walk-in pantry, many closets for storage, and an attic we could either use for storage space, or for fun. After Melissa showed us the carriage house turned garage, I wanted it.  
We had ended the tour on the balcony that came off of the master bedroom, which was almost the size of our living room at home.

"What do you guys think?" she asked.

"I'm in love with it. This is way better than I thought it was going to be. This place is beautiful. What did you think, Mikey?" Zak asked.

I looked up at Zak, not really sure what to say. There were literally no words.

"I-I love it," I stammered.

I grew up in a huge house, and Zak's place was just a little bit smaller than that, but this monster of a house kicked those in the butt. Plus, the charm only increased my love for it. I got off on just the idea that this huge, ancient, rarity could be ours.  
Zak chuckled and pulled me into him. I don't think he had ever seen me so shocked since he proposed to me.

"Do you want it?" he asked.

All I could do was nod as my eyes scanned the property.

"How much were they asking for it?" Zak asked Melissa.

When Melissa said the price, my jaw hit the floor. The expenses of The Hollow collectively didn't even add up to what she said, and I had spent a shitload on that little house. And I had no idea how much Zak had put into the house in Vegas.

"Zak," I said.

I glanced up at his bright blue eyes, mentally telling him that this was a waste of time and we couldn't afford this. He was still juggling payments on his sand toys and the Bentley. I had very little in savings, but I usually didn't have to worry about anything except for Ernie's things and my own bills, like my cell phone and such. Zak took care of everything else, but this wasn't a new tire for a car or groceries. This was something way out of our comfort zone.

"Michael, don't worry about it," he said, hearing my expression loud and clear.

"What? Do you have a rainy day fund I don't know about?" I asked, being sarcastic.

Zak smirked.

"Something like that," he replied.

I raised an eyebrow at him. Zak sighed and turned to Melissa.

"Can we have a moment to discuss this?" he asked.

Melissa smiled.

"Sure. I'll be downstairs when you're ready," she said.

Zak and I watched as Melissa reentered the bedroom and turned down the hall. I looked up at Zak.

"We can't afford this!" I hissed to him.

"Yes we can, sweetie. I have everything taken care of. Don't worry about the money," he said.

"How?" I asked.

Zak just smiled and stroked my cheek.

"You'll see. Plus, after we sell the house and I get some my shit sold, we'll have extra. Billy's already made an offer on one of the quads," he said.

I sighed.

"Why didn't you tell me you had extra cash saved up?" I asked.

We could have moved out a long time ago!

"It was emergency money in case Ghost Adventures fell through. Once season three became so successful, I just kept adding to it. I think it's time to use it," he said with a shrug.

I twisted my lips in thought. I didn't want him using his emergency fund. Sure, we really didn't have to worry about Ghost Adventures, for there was always something else we could do, but I didn't want him using his emergency fund on this. This was crazy!

"Are you sure?" I asked.

Zak frowned.

"Michael, don't you like this place?" he asked.

"Zak, I love it! I don't ever want to leave," I said.

A small smile replaced his frown.

"Me neither," he whispered.

I sighed and returned the smile.

"If you're sure you want to use that money on this," I said.

Zak's smile widened and he nodded.

"Then, okay, sweetheart," I said.

Zak glomped me in a hug.

"Thank-you," he said softly.

I hugged him tightly and patted his back.

"Come on, Zak. Let's go talk to Melissa and get our names on the title," I said.

Zak flashed a toothy smile and took my hand, nearly dragging me through the house, he was so excited.  
After calling the owners and making a deal, Zak had an inspector come out to check to house before finalizing the deal. I wandered the backyard while Zak worked his magic. I could see dog toys and a fountain. I knew this was for us. This felt so right.

"Michael!" I heard Zak call.

I ran up the steps of the porch and around to the front. I found Zak shaking hands with the inspector, then Melissa.

"What's up?" I asked casually as I approached.

Zak held a set of keys in his hands.

"We got the house," he announced.

My jaw dropped.

"Really?" I squeaked out.

Melissa produced a clipboard with a pen.

"Just as soon as you sign," she said.

I saw Zak's aggressive signature already on the paper. I took the pen and signed under it.

"Congratulations!" Melissa said enthusiastically.

I honestly couldn't believe it. This amazing place was ours. It was really ours!

"Are there any other questions before I leave?" she said.

"I have one," Zak said.

Melissa looked at him intently.

"Is it haunted?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes and Melissa laughed.

"No. I don't believe so. As far as I know, there are no reported deaths here," she said with a laugh.

Zak just giggled awkwardly. Dork.

"Okay. Thank-you," he said.

He then turned to me.

"Reported. There could still be undocumented deaths," he said under his breath.

I rolled my eyes again.

"But in all seriousness, we did it!"

"I still can't believe it," I said.

Zak cupped my face and looked straight into my eyes.

"Believe it, Mikey. This is a dream come true. This is the life I wanted for you-for us!" he said.

I reached up and kissed him deeply. Zak returned it with just as much intensity. I then reached around and hugged him.

"Thank-you," I said softly.

Zak kissed the side of my head.

"You're so welcome, sweetie," he replied.

The hug lasted a long time. I just didn't want to let go of this amazing person, but a sudden thought had me backing up.

"There's still one last thing," I said.

Zak tilted his head to the side.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Where the hell are we?" I exclaimed with a laugh.

Zak laughed at me and took my hand.

"I'll show you. Come on," he said.

Zak led me back out to the rental car and we climbed in.

"Bye-bye, house. We'll be back later," Zak said as he looked up at the mansion, _our_ mansion.

I sat down and buckled myself in.

"I gotta get somebody out here to install a security system. Thinking about a big gate, too," he said as he back the car up.

"Get an intercom system and everything?" I asked teasingly.

"Hell yeah! Keep dem muddafuckers out!" he said.

I just shook my head and laughed at him.

As we pulled out onto the road and turned left, I realized there weren't any other driveways than our huge, fancy concrete one with the beige stone walls and gaslights.

"We don't have any neighbors, do we?" I asked.

Zak smiled and shook his head.

"Unless you count that," he said pointed straight ahead.

I couldn't quite see what he was pointing at until we got closer. The building looked just as old as our new house, except the yard beside it was littered with old machinery, a traction engine, and mounted a platform was a little steam engine with yellow letters painted on the side.

"**Eureka Springs and North Arkansas Railway**"

I almost screamed.

"We moved to Eureka?" I exclaimed.

Zak smiled.

"Yes, baby. Every time I got into your office, my eyes are always drawn to the pictures of downtown you have on the wall. I felt like it was calling me back. I don't know how to explain it," he said.

"I told you this place gets in your blood! Not in a bad way, though," I said.

"Absolutely not," he agreed.

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to come back?" I asked.

Zak glanced at me with a warm smile.

"Something about this place makes me want to surprise you. Either that, I just love it when you're surprised. I'm not sure yet," he said.

I felt my cheeks burn, I was smiling so hard (if that makes sense). I looked forward to see the familiar sights of lower downtown. To the left was a little Mexican restaurant that was not yet open.

"Zak, pull in there for a second," I said.

He was confused but did as he was told. When he put the car in park, I unbuckled and pounced him, crashing my lips against his. Zak received it welcomingly and gripped my hips.

"Jesus, Mikey!"

"This is the best surprise ever, Zak. I love you so much!" I said.

Zak smiled and kissed me.

"I love you, too, Michael."

From day one, Zak had taken me under his wing and had been the greatest friend to me. He was the one who gave me the best job in the world. He taught me so much and had protected me. He loved me for who I was, and I loved him for everything he was. I don't think I would ever be able to swallow how lucky I really was. I had lost, we had lost together, and here we were. Alive. Well. Happy. And the best of all, free.

I don't think I could ever thank the amazing Zachary Bagans enough. He was the best, and I couldn't ask for much more.


	29. Second Chances

The following months provided a lot of bittersweet moments for Zak and I. Remodeling the house so it would be ready to sell was hard on Zak, but the worst part was tearing out the dungeon. Even I got a little sad when Billy came over to help get started on demolishing the seclusion cells. When I walked in and saw the fireplace, I got a little upset.

"Ah man," I said as Zak and Billy were opening the door to the cells.

Zak turned to me with a concerned look on his face.

"What?" he asked.

I stood in front of the fireplace and looked at the skulls above the mantle.

"Just this area," I said, trying not to get to specific so Billy wouldn't catch on.

Zak realized what I was talking about and smiled.

"We'll always have the memories," he reminded me.

I sighed. That was true, and I'm sure when we finally got moved in, we could make new ones.  
When we finished remodeling and painting the walls, the house was a totally different place. It no longer felt like our's, and soon enough, a buyer snatched it up and it really was no longer our house. With the cursed objects destroyed, some of Zak's old furniture, sand toys, and truck sold, and the house cleansed and blessed for the next owners, there was only one thing left to do: tell Aaron.  
It was night time when Zak and I arrived at Aaron's. Zak was ready to tell him, but I wasn't.

"Zak, I don't wanna do this," I said as he knocked on the door.

"We can't keep it a secret forever," he said.

"I know, but I hate that puppy dog look he gets when he's sad. It makes things harder," I said.

Zak sighed and put his arm around me.

"He'll be okay. We start filming again soon. Then you'll be begging to get away from him," Zak said.

I smiled at. Zak was right. This sadness wouldn't last long, but it was just the fact that we had to say we were leaving that was hard to do.  
Seconds later, Aaron opened the door and invited us in. As I walked in ahead of Zak, the smell of fresh coffee hit my nose. It was like walking into Starbucks, if Starbucks were decorated with Big Steppin gear, millions of skulls, and nightmarish paintings. Starbucks from hell, maybe.

"I just made coffee. You guys want some?" Aaron asked as Zak and I followed him into the kitchen.

"No thanks," Zak replied.

"How about you, Mikey?" Aaron asked as he pulled the pot from the brewer.

"Yeah, sure," I replied.

Aaron pulled a mug from the cabinets and filled up my cup. I walked over and dug out the sugar and the French Vanilla flavoring before rejoining Zak at the kitchen table.

"You want a tea or anything, bro?" Aaron asked.

Zak shook his head.

"Nah, I'm good, bro," he said.

I sat down across from Zak and looked up at Aaron. He was in such a happy mood. I really didn't want to ruin it, so I tried to delay the reason Zak and I came over.

"So, what have you been up to, Aaron?" I asked, honestly curious.

I hadn't seen him in weeks, since Zak and I had been so busy with getting the house ready for buyers.

"Oh, you know. Just playing around with my Legos and stuff," he said with a shrug.

He walked around Zak to sit beside him.

"What have you guys been up to since you got back from your trip?" he asked.

As far as Aaron knew, our run to Arkansas to see the house and buy it was really just a short, weekend vacation. He had no idea. This sucks.  
Zak glanced at me. I just looked down and sipped my coffee, as if to say "Don't look at me. You tell him!"

"Well, we finished tearing the dungeon out yesterday," Zak began.

I glared at him. Way to break it to him easy, Zak.

"What?" Aaron exclaimed.

His eyes were big and he couldn't decide which one of us to stare at in disbelief.

"Yup. We sold some stuff. Burned some of my cursed shit. Had the house cleansed. Had our items cleansed. Sold the house," he carried on.

The look of shock hit Aaron like a slap in the face.

"What? You guys are moving?" he asked.

Aaron looked to me. I just nodded.

"Where?" he asked, sounding fearful of the answer.

I sighed and pulled my phone out of my shorts pocket. I pulled up a picture of our new house and handed the phone to Aaron. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Wow, guys! That looks like my Lego Haunted House," Aaron said.

Zak laughed.

"It kind of does," he agreed.

Aaron smiled and looked up at us.

"Where is this at?" he asked.

I glanced at Zak. Here comes the hard part.

"Eureka," I replied quietly, then focused back on my coffee.

Again, Aaron was incredulous.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"Arkansas. Remember? We locked down there for Michael's surprise last year," Zak said.

Aaron looked down at the wooden table top.

"I remember," he said glumly.

Stage 1: Bummed. Stage 2 will be sadness, and if he's anything like I am when friends move away, Stage 3 will be hysterical screaming and crying. This was just like when Aunt Elena and Uncle Daren were taking the twins and moving to Texas, which I thought was lightyears away from Oklahoma. I cried and chased after their van when they left. Dramatic? Yes, but I was only four or five years old at the time.

"That's really far away," Aaron said softly.

"Yeah, but it's what we really want to do. Vegas just doesn't feel like home anymore," Zak explained.

"Zak, you love Vegas!" Aaron pointed out.

"Not as much as I used to. Aaron, Eureka Springs was calling me back, and Mikey and I have always wanted a big Victorian house. We were sick of living in the darkness that our house here has. It's irresponsible to live like that when your married. You remember when Nick moved away?"

"But that was to give Annabelle a better life. Vegas really isn't the best place to raise a family. He wanted quiet and humble," Aaron said.

Zak nodded.

"Well believe it or not, that's what I want now, too," Zak said.

Aaron gave him a sad smile.

"I never thought I'd see the day where Zak Bagans actually settled down," he said.

I laughed at that. Zak smiled shyly and looked away.

"Aaron, you know that has been a dream for me. I've always wanted to move into a huge, historical Victorian home and have a huge garden and get married," he said.

"Married, check!" I said playfully.

Zak just smiled at me.

"Victorian home with garden, check," he said.

"That wasn't the whole dream, dude!" Aaron said.

Zak and I looked at our friend, totally confused.

"If I remember correctly, you also wanted a million kids, too," Aaron said.

Zak smiled at Aaron, but his eyes looked menacing. He then shoved Aaron, not enough to knock him over, but to the point where Aaron had to catch himself.  
I stared at Zak with my mouth hanging open.

"Zak! You never told me any of this! I mean, we've talked about the house, but you never told me _that_!"

Zak's cheeks flushed and he looked down shyly.

"I was kidding about the kids part," he said meekly.

I think he was lying.

"You guys still have the dogs. And, your daughter follows you guys. So, I guess in a way, your wish did kind of come true," Aaron said.

Zak and I nodded.

"I guess you're right," Zak said quietly.

I reached across the table and gently grasped his wrist. He looked up at me and smiled.

"When are you guys moving out there?" Aaron asked.

"The truck comes tomorrow," Zak said.

"Wow! Well, I'm glad you guys came by before you bolted. I'm going to have to fly out there and come see the house some time. You guys already sold your house?"

Zak and I nodded.

"Damn! Well, I guess that's good news. Speaking of good news, I think you two will be back in Vegas sooner than you think," Aaron said.

Zak raised an eyebrow and I tilted my head to the side like a dog.

"Why?" Zak asked.

Aaron leaned back in his chair and smiled smugly.

"This guy," he said, pointing to himself, "is tying the knot in August."

Zak nearly shot out of his chair.

"WHAT?" both Zak and I exclaimed-well, screamed.

Aaron laughed at our reaction.

"Yup. The last bachelor in the GAC is finally getting married," he said proudly.

Zak's eyes were huge.

"You proposed?" he asked in disbelief.

Aaron looked so proud of himself.

"Hell yeah," he said.

"When?" I asked.

"The other night at our anniversary dinner. We've been together three years, so I thought it was time," he said.

Zak looked at me with a look as if to say "Is he fucking crazy?" I swear, we had become so close, we could read each other's minds. Sounds crazy, but it was true.

"Well...shit, bro! Way to make us look bad," Zak said, pointing to me and then himself.

Aaron rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, g! You two had lived together off and on since October two years ago. Plus, you love each other and you've been through so much together. The timing was right then. I feel the timing was right for me now. I mean, she said yes, after all," Aaron said.

I got up and walked over to hug Aaron.

"So proud of you, bro," I said.

Aaron hugged me back.

"Thanks, Mikey," he said.

I let go of Aaron and moved to put my now empty mug in the sink.

"I wish you would have told me," Zak said, "Does Nick know?"

"Nah. Not yet. I'll call him tomorrow. Billy knows, though," Aaron replied.

"Well, we're happy for you, Aaron," I said as I came back around and wrapped my arms around Zak's neck.

"Yeah. So proud of you," Zak agreed.

Aaron smiled.

"Thanks, guys," he said.

Zak leaned over and hugged Aaron.

"We'll definitely be back in town for your bachelor party," Zak said.

"Oh, hell yes! Can't wait," Aaron said excitedly.

"Well, we'll let you get back to your Legos. Mikey, are you ready? We still have some more to pack before it's time to go," Zak said.

I sighed.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I replied.

Aaron smiled sadly at us.

"I'll miss you guys," he said.

Zak and I both group hugged our co-investigator.

"We'll miss you, too, Aaron," I said.

"But we'll see you again for filming next month," Zak said, trying to be positive.

"I'm already pumped for it," Aaron said.

As we backed away, Zak smiled and patted Aaron's shoulder.

"Have fun, bro," he said.

I could tell that this was now starting to get hard for Zak. He acted like he didn't want to leave.

"You, too. Have a safe trip and be careful," he said.

"We will," Zak and I said in unison.

After saying goodbye and getting back in the car to go home, Aaron stood at the door and watched us until we were gone. It was just like dumping a dog and leaving it behind.  
Zak sighed and laced his fingers with mine. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. It was only a month before we filmed again. We'd see Aaron again before we knew it.

Xxx

More good news followed that night in addition to learning that Veronique and Nick were expecting their second child. When Zak and I were moving into the new house, I received a call from a friend that I had not heard from in a while.  
We were moving boxes from the garage and onto the porch. It was July, and in a week, we would be heading out to film again. We were trying to get more stuff unpacked, since we had a ton of shit, but it was miserably hot.

"Goddammit! I forgot about this heat," Zak complained as he hauled box up the steps.

I laughed at him. I really didn't mind the heat that much. It was when the temperature hit triple digits that I started to gripe.

"No matter what happens, we are opening that damn pool when we get home from the lockdown," Zak said.

I watched as he wiped the sweat off of his brow. I wondered if he would take his shirt off, but my thoughts were interrupted by my phone.

"Dammit," Zak snapped.

"Let's take a break and get a drink. Then, we'll come back and finish," I suggested.

Zak nodded in agreement. We walked around the house and entered through the back door as I answered my phone.

"Hello?"

"Cousin! I haven't heard from you in years!" Nikki squealed.

"Oh, bullshit, you drama queen. I talked to you in April. And you saw me in March," I said.

"Michael, that was three months ago! You must be pretty busy," he said.

"Oh, we are! What have you been up to, Cousin?" I asked.

"Only the best thing ever! A got a job offering and guess where I'm moving!" he said excitedly.

I smirked. Watch him say Vegas.

"Where?" I asked.

"Branson! I got a condo at the Landing and I'm going to be doing interior design there for a couple of years," he said, "When you and Zak get a break, you guys need to fly out and see it."

"Branson, Missouri?" I asked.

"Yeah. What other Branson would I be excited about? I can go to Silver Dollar City whenever I like now without the eight hour drive!"

I laughed at that.

"Well, Zak and I have been doing some moving. Guess where we are," I said.

Nikki gasped.

"You're not in Las Vegas anymore?" he squeaked.

I smiled.

"Nope. Zak found a Victorian for sale in Eureka Springs," I said.

Nikki screamed. I held the phone away from my head. Zak looked horrified.

"That's only an hour from here! Oh my God, Michael! Give me your address. I'll come down today and help you move in. I'm already all settled here," he said.

"Sure. Hey, do they allow dogs at your condo?" I asked.

"Oh, God yes! I wouldn't have moved in if my little boos couldn't come with me," Nikki said, referring to his Yorkies.

I sighed in relief. The one problem Zak and I had been having to tackle was where to put the dogs when we were gone filming. We had found some nice kennels, but Zak was tempted to just hire a dog-sitter. I didn't like that idea, but we didn't have much of a choice until now.

"Then, you wouldn't mind keeping Gracie and Ernie when we're gone, would you?" I asked.

Zak tilted his head to the side.

"Of course not! I can keep them for you guys. No problem," Nikki said.

I put my hand over the receiver.

"Found a dog-sitter," I whispered to Zak.

"Who?" he asked.

"Nikki moved to Branson. It's an hour North of here," I replied.

Zak smiled.

"Thank God! Can I talk to Nikki?" he asked.

"Hey, Zak wants to talk to you," I said.

"Okie dokie," Nikki replied.

I laughed and handed Zak my phone.

Over all, the move had ended up being a really good idea. There was plenty of room for the dogs, company if the boys or family came over, and tons of play room for us. However, the size slowed down the process of moving in. It seemed as if packing was a lot faster than unpacking. By the time Aaron's wedding rolled around, we still weren't done.  
Aaron's wedding was beautiful. I had never seen the boy so happy. The guys and I were happy for him. All of us had had our fair share of problems with demons, but Aaron had had it the worst. He had had heartbreak after heartbreak, and in seeing him dance with his new wife, I knew the problem was fixed. His wife, Melanie (I believe that's what he said), completely understood our work and what had happened with his ex-wife. She promised to always be by Aaron's side and not leave, but help when things got bad. I hoped she stuck to her word, because if she didn't, she was going to get it. She seemed honest, though, and I trusted Aaron's judgement. I figured since she had been with him for three years, they would last a life time, but everything changes when you're married. However, I was proud of them and wished them the best. As long as she took care of him, all was good.  
After the wedding, Zak and I visited the tattoo shop downtown, it what used to be a doughnut shop. We had had an idea for a while to get tattoos of our experience in Rentiesville. We wanted something to represent our little girl, and to remind us of what she has done to help us. We wanted the tattoos to match and we wanted them on our wrists, but unfortunately my left wrist had Nick's lyrics on it, and Zak's right wrist had Dracula's cross on it. However, Zak pointed out that when we're standing side by side, we could hold our wrists up together. So, we decided to go ahead and get the insides of our unmarked wrists tattooed. I talked Zak into getting white ink, instead of black. Zak didn't like the idea at first, but I had to remind him that she was a ghost, and white ink is like ghost ink when you have pale skin like we did. Zak finally warmed up to the idea, and we had our matching tattoos done. They were small. Nothing to monstrous or decorative. They were simple little tattoos that said "Never lost" in lowercase cursive. At the end of the script was a little white dove, which represented not only her innocence, but her white dress, which I believe is a representation of her angelic purity. You can imagine the Tweets we got when Zak posted the picture of our new ink.  
In October, Zak and I finally full moved in to the house. It finally felt like home. On Halloween, we celebrated. Perfect weather, too, for it was storming, windy, and lightning like crazy.  
Downstairs on the first floor, there was a small library area off of the living room. I had one of my gramophones down there on a end table between two matching antique chairs. On this spooky night, Zak cranked the old thing up and had Bach's "Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor" blasting from the horn.

"Michael, my dear! Come down here!" Zak called.

I was waiting in the shadows of the hallway near our bedroom. Tonight, we decided to be in costume, since it was a holiday. When the rain ruined our plans to visit the cemetery, Zak and I decided to try something else. We ended up finding some old Victorian clothing in an antique store while shopping, and I found this beautiful black, sleeveless gown, which was decked out in ruffly black lace that had shredded in a few places, making the dress even more creepy. It looked as if I had been buried in it, and I had awoken to walk the earth again. If I didn't have my tattoo sleeve, with my dark eye makeup, I would look like the walking dead.  
I walked to the stairs to see Zak standing at the foot. He looked gorgeous and debonair with his freshly dyed black hair spiked in his signature shark fin, mustache and goatee that I adored, a satiny smoker's jacket with red trim that he got at the antique store, and black slacks and dress shoes. His eyes, even in the dim light of the stairwell, sparkled bright blue. When he saw me, he flashed a smile.

"You look absolutely beautiful, querida," he said.

I made an overdramatic, but still dreamy moan and leaned against the banister.

"Zak, that's Spanish!" I breathed out jokingly as I channeled my inner Gomez Addams.

"You like that?" he asked cheekily.

I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Come down, here, cara mia," he said.

I obeyed and began to walk down the steps in a pair of black heels that I wore on my wedding day. They were they only black heels I had.  
When I reached the last step, my heart was beating faster than it had been the first day I met Zak. Zak slowly approached me with this smoldering stare that had me breathing heavier. He then bowed, as if we were at some kind of ball and he was going to ask me to dance. He then straightened and held his palm out. I gently put my right hand in his. He ever so gently clasped my fingers between his thumb and knelt down to kiss my knuckles.

"Mon amour," he said, with a thick, husky accent that drove me nuts.

He pressed his soft lips to my knuckles, his eyes never leaving mine. He then looked down at my arm and began to place butterfly kisses up the bare skin. I let my eyes roll backwards and my neck go weak as my head fell backwards.

"Mon cherie," I moaned.

Zak let out a weak moan as he reached my neck. He held me close to him as he pressed his lips against it. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift. Zak lifted his head and soft kissed me.

"Come on, sweetie," he said softly, his voice just above a whisper.

I let him take my hand and lead me into the library where the gramophone was still blasting away. We stood in front of the window and watching our little piece of heaven light up under the lightning. The air was charged with energy. The Silent City of Arkansas of coming to life to join the Trick or Treaters on this Halloween.  
Zak held me close and perched his chin on top of my head.

"It's a miserable night," Zak said, excitement hinting in his voice.

"Oui," I agreed.

I tilted my head backwards to look at his handsome face.

"But it's beautiful," I added.

Zak smiled and turned me around. He dipped me down, causing me to giggle. He just smiled before kissing me passionately. When he brought me back up, he hugged me tightly.

"Happy Halloween, sweetie. I love you," Zak said.

"I love you, too," I murmured into his chest.

I wasn't sure if it was the storm charging the air, or the fact that it could have been a certain someone's birthday, but it left enough energy for our only ghost to make herself know. I felt cold arms wrap around my waist and heard a distant giggle of a child. When I looked down, I saw nothing. Zak, however, just chuckled.

"Hello, baby girl," he said.

"Hi, Daddy."

Zak looked down at me and smiled. I smiled widely at him. Our dreams had come true. We had our sanctuary, the best job in the world, the best friends who were all now happy with life, and our little odd family.  
Zak and I still had more dreams to chase after. He one day wanted to have paranormal investigation accepted into the world of forensics. He wanted to continue helping others and giving the dead a voice. I followed him. I helped him, learned from him, and admired everything he did. As for now, our adventure was far from over. It has only just begun.


End file.
